Tumbledown

By Kate Xian

MxPx vocalist Mike Herrera took a break from his punk rock band to record side project Tumbledown, a punk country album, a cool hybrid genre yet with country melody stylings that is still somewhat familiar. Though relatively short, Tumbledown is an upbeat, lighthearted project full of catchy tunes and fun banjo twangs.

The album opens with Let's Drink an ode to...well drinking. Though lyrics are slightly repetitive, it is fun nonetheless. "Let's drink till we all fall down, let's drink I'll see you on the ground, there is nothing else to do in this town." The catchy bar tunes don't end there, Came Here to Fight is another one of those of fun tracks devoted to bar flies and bar fights. The bouncy Homeward Bound also adds to that midwestern, rolling hay balls texture.

Other highlights on the album include Butcher of San Antone with feature vocalist Nicole Pike. Her deep, seductive voice a nice complement to Herrera's energetic vocals. Movin' On also captures the small town feel of wanting to break free of its confines.

My personal favourite happens to be the punk/country ballad Son of A Gun. The track has a nice relaxed pace about it and features the vocals of Jon Snodgrass. Quite possibly the "deepest" track on the record, it carries the most emotional depth in both the lyrics and melody.

Overall, Herrera's side project Tumbledown is a solid eleven track album with an authentic small town western feel. With many great odes to drinking and drunken fights Tumbledown is full of energy and country texture.

Release Date: May 19, 2009