Album Review by EDF
New York based Heroes Of the Alamo started life when drummer Kevin Slane placed a number of ads of which he recruited lead guitarist/vocalist Todd Carlstrom, guitarist/vocalist Dave Makuen and Dave’s friend Richard Brown to handle bass duties. They gigged for over a year before they decided to record the album. It took only two days to record the bass and drum parts and a year after that for guitar and vocal. It would be another year before mixing and cover art was finalised.
While it is obvious that Heroes sound is influenced by punk and new wave groups, for an album to take this long to record is anything but punk. While it lacks any real punch expected from groups tooting that they are punk, the songs for the most part show a high quality that we at PHASE 9 have come to enjoy from independent artists. The tracks have a raw edge that has not been lost from the length it has taken to produce this album.
It would be hard to ignore that CLEANING WOMAN sounds like early Elvis Costello, which is not a bad thing. Although whether it is wise to include the six-minute track, SURVIVAL WALTZ, which just comes across as a messy piece while JENNY G could have easily been a CLASH out-take. This album is not punk enough for the punk crowd and slightly raw for those who like alternative rock. Which only means that their second album could be a very interesting affair indeed.
