Following on from their critically acclaimed debut ‘Song of Praise’, Drunk Tank Pink is a shining example of Shame’s ability to maintain an exciting signature sound whilst experimenting and expanding their musical direction, in an album which captures the pure high-octane energy of their live performances which their debut lacked.
The opening track ‘Alphabet’ sets the tone for the record, entailing the signature Shame sound of criss-crossing guitars, pounding drums, hard-hitting bass guitar, and the energised vocals of Charlie Steen. Tracks ‘Born In Luton’, ‘Snow Day’ and ‘6/1’ truly capture the brilliance of Drunk Tank Pink, combining the familiar raw and relentless high energy of Shame with a beautifully composed and emotionally rich atmospheric edge.
‘Born in Luton’ opens up with an absolute scorcher of a riff, which combined with Steen’s roaring lyricism, relentlessly drives the song down an emotional highway of anger and despair. Later, ‘Snow Day’ provides a hypnotic yet volatile experience, with Steen’s oddly intimate whispering, that transitions into an explosive, almost experimental track. Arguably the best song on the album, ‘6/1’ captures an essence of mysterious urgency, with a cavorting guitar riff and drum beat intercutting Steen’s amusing social commentary and proclamation to be a God.
Steen’s vocals and lyricism alone are a refreshingly unique contribution to the ‘post-punk resurgence’ genre. Grounded in a witty, and poetic elegance, and elevated by a spectacular vocal flexibility and stylistic range, each and every song is a new, sometimes challenging experience to the ear.
Instrumentally, the album is a masterpiece in the power of simplicity. Each and every component of the album has a definite place, with tight and hard-hitting drums being elevated by a powerful bass tone, to which provide an open space that enables the guitars to experiment and engineer an up-beat yet emotionally rich sound.
As a shining symbol of the excellence and fluidity of Shame, Drunk Tank Pink is defined by its beautiful and thoughtful pacing, creating a record that enables each track to fluidly compliment one another, confidently emphasising the sound, direction, and energy of the song; whether it’s the slow and melancholic feel of ‘Human, for a minute’ or the high-energy, riff-pounding and mosh-pit creating sound of it’s following track ‘Great Dog’. Whilst the album can feel slightly repetitive in between the stand-out tracks with songs such as ‘March Day’ and ‘Water in the Well’, every song ultimately has its place on the record.
Overall, Drunk Tank Pink, whilst not for everyone, is a truly masterful album rich in emotion, excellent instrumental ability, and even better song composition.
