Headstones/Little Army (2017)

So Hugh Dillon and his bunch of Honchos. That being Trent Carr/Tim White and some new hombres Steve Carr / Rick VanDyk and one who goes by the name of  Lyle have pumped out a new 12 Song Album that these guys are calling Little Army. 

Judging by the cover they look like an army of Old Dude Misfits but these ‘Stones still have a enough juice in the tank to Kick Yo Ass!

Just 4 years ago Headstones released the excellent Love & Fury album that even dented into my Top 5 listening for the year 2013 over at Ladano HQ’s! Yeah man it was that good!

So here we are in 2017 at the halfway point of the year and this is a new band(kinda) with a new sound (kinda) and whats for certain is Hugh is still pissed(definitely,not kinda) …. well read on….

So for the first time in Headstones history a second guitarist and a keyboardist are added and to be totally honest with all of you’s out there I kinda(ha) hemmed and hawed about this as that is the one thing I always dug about these guys as they were just a ripping good time 4 piece in your face with a hard smack of Hugh’s right hand smacking you across the side of your noggin attitude thingy…

And now keyboards? Fuck??! But the keys add a texture still buried under Trent and Rick’s guitars but still there for the taking…

Yeah I’m ok with it! Like Hugh cares what this Hillbilly(MYSELF) thinks in Tbay! Ha!

From Kingston Ontario…….Headstones!

Devil’s On Fire opens the album and its Hugh firing actually the whole band is rocking and making a statement to the listeners out there that the Headstones are back so deal with it! Quick uptempo paced tune! Love Dillon’s attitude as by the second verse he sound’s pissed which comes in handy as he can ramp up and blow hell fire into the harmonica so basically if the Devil Is On Fire not too far behind is Hugh and Crew!

The rest of the albums 11 songs follow the same (kinda) blueprint of yesteryear Headstones. But don’t kid yourselves into thinking it’s just another same ol same ol. Nope it’s a kicking good time album. I like the fact that the guitars sound clean not all dirty and distorted out a different sound that is used on Broken  and the title track Little Army in which Hugh loses his shit literally lyrically about the cold hard truth. Mid tempo like burn of a track!

Timbo on the bass and Lyle the  drummer  drive the start of Sunlight Kills The Stars with some psycho like piano playing tag along with Hugh’s vocals! A different sounding track but make no mistake this is still rock!

For Your Consideration is a buck and 44 second tune. Ripping down the Dillon express and the wheels are coming off. I always liked when the Headstones do this kind of stuff. Short and to the point with a punch in the face added as well! Yee Haw!

Whoah we are now talking! Dead To Me is a killer tune that goes back back to the Teeth And Tissue days mixed with a modern twist. ‘Gutless Fuck’ Your sucking the life out of me!” Hollers Hugh and just like that he gets all amped up during the chorus and chills out during the verse! Hughie is in fine form here folks! The days of onstage smoking and spitting may be gone but he still has that edge..

Captain Of The Shit Out Of Luck has to be contender for coolest song title of 2017! The song as well is a straight ahead rocker with more cool harmonica mixed with the guitars make this a mashup of epic proportions. It’s good to see that were at the halfway point of the album and this track and Dead Again keep that vibe going and making you the listener wanting more!

The View  Here takes the previous two shit kicker of tracks and chills out with Steve and his keys keeping pace with Hugh and its a good tune. Give it up as they could have written 12 Smile And Wave tracks but what would that get em? Your right 12 Smile And Waves!

HeadStones go back in the archives as Hugh sings the tale of finding a postcard from 1989 and smoking dope from a corn cob pipe from a place called Kingston. My 5 cents is the fact that this will be the next single or close to it and I can giggle at work when I hear Hugh chime the line”Smoking dope from a corn cob pipe!” when the song is played on the radio. Of course with it being so damn catchy it will probably stick around in my noggin for hours after….Ummmm maybe this isn’t a good thing! Damn it… this is good track. Very autobiographical!

From Kingston were on a road trip with the Headstones and were off to Sunny California ! Well not exactly..,,Hugh kinda sings the tale of one getting caught up cruising around at night in the lights in Los Angeles. Keys drive this tune over the guitars (kinda) and that’s alright as Hugh takes this song over…There is a story here folks!

Oh boy here’s one called Done The Math.  A mix of piano/electric guitars and drums. Hugh sings and kinda talks his way through this tune.  Something about combinations/misdirection and social deceptions! Wowzers….deep!

Don’t Think At All ends the 12 song 39 minute album in typical Headstones fashion. Trent and Rick built this song and combined with the drums this is an end of the album stomper track! Hugh name drops a ton of cities throughout. Hugh is like a singing version of Goggle Maps! Next stop ….Hughs Fist…My Face!

Great Friggin Rock Record!

These guys have never played it safe. Back in the  mid 90’s through to the early 2000’s when Headstones would roll into Tbay these cats did not give a Fuck about anything. Dangerous came to mind as would our fair city be the one to drive Hugh off the cliff. No it never happened but it made going to see them an interesting show as they always delivered live..

So with Little Army they are once again not playing it safe. Doing it how they want and fair enough and seriously man would these guys really care…

That’s what I dig about the Headstones!