The Last Mixed Tape reviews the Eskies much-anticipated debut studio album After The Sherry Went Round.
After The Sherry Went Round is an excessive celebration of all the countless sweat soaked gigs, tours and late night sessions the Eskies have experienced (or incited) in the years leading-up to its release.
Indeed, the album exudes a vim and vigor that bursts from out of the speakers. Lulling listeners into a false sense of calm with the brief sweetness of the L.P’s title track, the Eskies soon reveal the true sound of After The Sherry Went Round with ‘When the Storm Came’.
The entire album jumps, bounds and shoves its way around from start to finish. Taking your attention rather than grabbing it, the Eskies’ bubbling melting pot of Dixieland jazz, trad and folk music makes for an incredibly entertaining experience.
Making good use of this bustling sound the Eskies throw the kitchen sink at the album. Songs like ‘Fever’ and ‘Jesus Don’t Save Me’ feel more like a raucous round of musical fisticuffs with different melodies, harmonies and rhythms seeming to push one another out-of-the-way to steal focus.
In the wrong hands (or even the wrong genre) this bustling sound would prove to be confusing or even tiring to listen to. However, the Eskies have spent years honing this craft down to a science and are able to find order over the perceived chaos that is After The Sherry Went Round.
The fear has always been that the Eskies would become captives of their own reputation as “your local good-time live band”, resulting in the group becoming constrained by such well-meaning praise.
However, with After The Sherry Went Round the Eskies show themselves to be much more than that, as the band craft some truly memorable moments out of their rough and ready sound.
Rating: 9/10
After The Sherry Went Round by the Eskies will be released on May 16th.