It seems everywhere you turn these days some member of the punk rock community is taking a slight aside from the day job and throwing their hat into the ring marked ‘solo side project’. Presenting exhibit #1312; Nathen Maxwell: bass player for Flogging Molly by day, gypsy/ska/folk troubadour by night.
The first thing that you notice about ‘White Rabbit’, the debut album from Nathen Maxwell & The Original Bunny Gang, to give the act its full name, is that this doesn’t particularly sound all that much like Flogging Molly. Gone are the fiddle and other trappings of the up-tempo LA Celtic band whilst Spanish guitars and a chilled, soulful groove take up residence. “Stick To My Guns” has an almost Eastern Europe flavour to it, and the accordion on “Love Outlaw” hints back to that Molly/Gogol Bordello tour a few years back.
There’s also something a little rustic about the whole affair. “Mijo”, whilst dipped in lush guitar sounds, when stripped back has a Chuck Ragan feel to it. “My Little One” sounds like it could easily have been lifted from a North Texas country radio station. “By Your Side” takes the rootsy country feel and combines it with upstroke ska and an accordion, emerging as a track more than a little reminiscent of The King Blues.
This all works reasonably enough but it’s vocally where Maxwell really comes into his own. Sitting somewhere between Vic Ruggiero (The Slackers) and Tim Armstrong (Rancid) it’s all chilled out, heartfelt, soulful tones soaked in coolness. For someone that doesn’t get all that many vocal duties in his day job, Maxwell has an impressive sound about him. Check out “Love You Mad”, the stand-out on this record, which is as easy-going but emotionally charged as you’re likely to find. It’s also a wicked example of how being stripped away from all those instrumental add-ons can really emphasise a performer. A really sweet track.
In short, ‘White Rabbit’ is enough of a digression to warrant not wallowing in the shadow of Maxwell’s regular employer. Like recent label mates The Gaslight Anthem, Reverend Peyton and Dusty Rhodes, it’s got that Side One Dummy zest to it; a slightly left of centre approach that implements quirkiness and imagination. A nice little surprise, this.
Alex