Kevin Devine & the Goddamn Band| Bubblegum/Bulldozer

Nov192014November 19, 2014November 20, 20141 Commentby Bake

Kevin Devine & the Goddamn Band| Bubblegum/Bulldozer

Posted in Music

The first time I saw Kevin Devine I was not impressed. He was without a backing band and he was wailing away over acoustic songs that nobody knew. It was over a decade ago so it was easy to dismiss him as a product of the time; capitalizing on a recent trend of sappy ex frontmen gone solo acoustic, and I for one wasn’t jumping on the Dashboard Kevconfessional bandwagon. Then I saw him and The Goddamn Band about 5 years ago promoting his new album at the time, Brother’s Blood, and I decided, hey I should probably pay attention to these assholes. I remember being won over by the brooding, emotional, full-band jams (probably “Time to Burn” and “Brothers Blood” but I can’t really say for sure). I said to myself, “This guy. This. Guy. Is someone we’re going to have to keep track of.”

Okay I didn’t say that. And if I did no one would have gave a shit anyway. But I did keep track of Kevin Devine since, and even went back a few albums to appreciate the man and the band. I found a lot of upbeat punk-ish songs, some like-minded political commentary, and even some acoustic ballads that were pretty damn good. In 2011, Devine released “Between the Concrete and Clouds”, 10 more solid alt/indie rock tracks building off his previous work. Three years later I was pissing at the urinal at a local music venue (Don’t say I never try to paint you a picture with my words) when I saw something for Kevin Devine coming back to the area for a concert. What was that guy up to these days? Wait, what? He released two more albums in 2013? Where the fuck was I? And no I won’t stop holding up the line.

Apparently funded by kickstarter (what a fucking country) Kevine put out Bubblegum backed by the Goddamn Band, and Bulldozer, a more solo-inclined effort. Bubblegum is actually one of the more fun albums I’ve heard in awhile. It sounds to me like a more optimistic Nirvana, with a more melodic and intelligible Kurt Cobain providing the vocals. It’s been no secret that Devine has long been inspired by Nirvana, he even covered Nevermind in it’s entirety just for fun. And it wasn’t terrible! Bubblegum, produced by friend and fellow Cobain admirer Jesse Lacey, sounds like someone tried to pick up where Nevermind left off, if its ridiculous success turned the band into pop darlings instead of music for stoners and depressives. Don’t get me wrong I loved In Utero and Unplugged in New York as much as the next guy, but knowing Devine loved Cobain and Elliot Smith, hearing something sound a little happier is comforting. If “Private First Class”, “She Can See Me”, “Somewhere Unoccupied” and “ Redbird” are a little too much imitation mixed with antidepressants, then so be it. At least Devine won’t be taking his own life/murdered by his girlfriend under suspicious circumstances.

Bulldozer is the more softer side, but it’s not exactly just a man and his guitar. There are drums, guitar solos, all that jazz. All that rock? Fuck it. There are some stripped down tracks, but there are more fleshed-out songs too. And they’re good. If Bubblegum is the youth energy album, Bulldozer is notable for its more mature song writing. Also present on some of the songs like “From Here”, “Matter of Time”, and “Safe” is a pleasant country tinge that does Devine well. Versatility in song writing is an under-appreciated gift. Not everyone can keep putting out the same album every few years, and even if you could, no one wants to hear it anyway. Unless you’re fans of Nickelback or something. If you’re going to copy music at least go back a couple decades. Speaking of which “She Can See Me” is on this album too. It really is a good Nirvana rip off. Grandma take me home.