There’s a misconception that as folks get older, they stick to what they know when it comes to music. Instead of taking a chance on a new band, or watching an opener, their listening habits center around the music of their youth. Now that I’m in my 40s, I’m getting to the point where I should just give up finding new music and stick to the bands that made me happy in the ’90s, right? Wrong. I love music more than ever before, so I still get that thrill when a new (to me) band comes across my desk and really catches my attention. The latest band to do that is three-piece punk band Original Son with their album Currents.
Original Son grabs your attention from the beginning and keeps it for the entirety of the album.
The band, hailing from Los Angeles, offers up a very West Coast sound. The songs on Currents are as if Social Distortion, Face to Face, Unwritten Law, and the more melodic side of Strung Out came together like a punk rock Voltron and wrote a kick ass punk album. There’s a level of sincerity with the music Original Son presents on their album. At times, it sounds like a good old fashioned rock and roll album. Other times, it’s driving melodic punk rock. You’ll hear more polished and cleaned-up tunes, but you’ll also hear some of that grit you’d expect from folks like Hot Water Music, Mike Ness, and Tim Barry. No matter which side of the rock spectrum they spend on the album, you’re in for a treat.
I’ve listened to the album several times, and one thing that gets me every time is that they’re only a trio. The amount of depth that exists on this album just sounds like the band has to be bigger than they are. There’s no way a trio can have that much going on musically right? Well, there is a way, and Original Son takes you through a master class that lasts ten songs and just shy of 30 minutes. And, this is their debut. They sound this good on their first album! If this is just the beginning, then we’re in for a treat as they really get going.
Currents touches on several topics, from political to more personal.
What’s a punk album without politics, right? You get that from “Parasite.” The band doesn’t disguise who this song is about. Alt-right, white nationalists, insurrectionists – these are the folks lead singer calls American Parasites throughout the song. It’s a damning condemnation of those who incite hatred and division.
While I hear a lot of influences from California bands throughout Currents, that’s definitely not all that Original Son has going on. They even got New York hardcore legend Lou Koller to join them for a song. The song, “Well’s Run Dry.” The song starts off as a power punk track with pounding drums and anthemic choruses. Then, just as the song is nearing completion, the Sick of It All legend appears and adds a more aggressive conclusion to the song.
I understand the appeal of staying in your comfort zone. Doing that will make it so you’re not disappointed if things don’t go your way. You feel like you’re not wasting your time on taking risks. Sometimes, it’s uncomfortable to change things up. If you’re the type of music fan who sticks to what you know, then I implore you to take a leap of faith this week on Original Son. If you’re not that type of person, then I’m guessing you’re already skimming the rest of this review so you can go seek them out. No matter what type of person you are, you won’t regret the time you spend listening to Currents.