Crazy Arm - Born To Ruin

Crazy Arm are one of those bands that I missed the boat on, and have lived to regret. I’d heard a lot of hype about them at the beginning of last year just prior to this, their debut album, being released but never got round to giving them a chance. Then a few weeks back I picked up their split with Frank Turner which had the song “Still To Keep” on it, and instantly fell in love with them. Playing that oh-so-familiar folk punk that many bands do these days, they inject it all with a healthy dose of other musical influences that marks them out from the overflowing scene.

So, a brief history of the band; forming in Plymouth in mid-2006, they self-released their debut EP “Cross Country” and followed it up with the “Broken By The Wheel” 7” single, before their debut album “Born To Ruin” was released on Xtra Mile Recordings in 2009. All four guys in the band (Darren Johns: Vocals/Guitar, Jon Dailey: Bass, Simon Marsh: Drums and Daniel Couling: Guitar) are veggies and supporters of animal and human rights. In fact, in the liner notes for their album is a list of various websites dedicated to different causes, a pretty cool thing to do I thought.

Speaking of the liner notes, along with all the lyrics they have added a short explanation of the song. It doesn’t go in-depth enough to prevent you interpreting it in your own way, but it’s cool to see where the inspiration for various songs came from and what the thought process was behind it. It certainly helps you connect more with the music rather than just downloading an mp3.

One thing I enjoy most about this album is the pacing. Instead of sticking to the same tempo for the duration or the usual formula of slow acoustic song half way through or at the end of the album, Crazy Arm actually mix up their sounds well. Starting with a tension building intro straight from a Rage Against The Machine track (a strange comparison, I know, but that’s what it brings to mind), “Asphalt” bristles with energy with its declaration that “there’s nothing left for us in the city, I’ll take my chances on the road”. They then hit full throttle with “Still To Keep”, slightly more of a pop sound than the majority of the album but raucous and full of sing a long parts. The album continues to surprise, throwing in more country influences and even some acapella vocal harmonies.

Even Tom Gabel is enamoured with the band, saying on his blog over at I Feel Sick To My Stomach, “I can’t stop listening to Crazy Arm. Their album, Born to Ruin, is the best I’ve heard in a while.” Hopefully I’ll be catching the band live when they tour with Against Me in the UK later in the year. I urge any fans of Against Me/Dillinger Four/Gaslight Anthem to check them out.

http://www.myspace.com/crazyarm