Album Reviews

- by Tom Dumarey

Whereas The Menzingers are already at that stage in life where they contemplate life after the party and welcome exile, the British bard that is Sam Russo can’t wait to get back to the party on album number three. And as soon as he kicks things off with ‘Purple Snow,’ you can’t wait to join him. Once COVID-19 is over and done with of course. ‘Purple Snow’ is just one of those songs that immediately hits all the right notes. Literally. Heartfelt lyrics, no frills and nothing but beautiful melodies.

And the exact same thing can be said about the other nine songs that make up ‘Back To The Party’. Cuts like ‘The Window’, ‘Always Lost’, ‘Young Heroes’ and the fragile ‘Anne’ all may have different vibes going on, but they share a kind of lived in feeling. Like he spent a lot of time shaping these songs, trimming it down to the truth. It may explain why it took Russo five years to follow up on ‘Greyhound Dreams’. If that’s the case, I’d say it’s five years spent well because ‘Back To The Party’ is the man’s best album to date.

Track listing:

1. Purple Snow
2. The Window
3. Always Lost
4. Good and Gone
5. Darkness
6. Young Heroes
7. Anne
8. Tears
9. Corporeal Gloom
10. The Basement