Spot McRackin

New Tricks (2022)

Jasonic

They say every dog has his day. That day is now for McRackins drummer Spot McRackin. Bil McRackin released his stellar "I Am The Eggman" solo album in 1997. Bassist Fil McRackin had his shot back in 2019 when his band Fil McRackin & the Hens released a split 7" EP. Spot McRackin has now stepped up to the plate with "New Tricks" as his debut solo effort. Spot takes the influence of both power pop and hard rock to the next level on this album. These elements have always made their way onto McRackins albums. Spot handles all vocal and drum duties on this record in addition to other instrumentation. On "New Tricks" he is also backed by Bil and Fil, as well as other former band members and fellow musician friends. Strap in for this ten song rock n roll roller coaster.

"Lianna" is the perfect opener for what is to come on this album. This track boasts a powerful intro and guitar lead to set the tone. The catchy chorus contains strong backing vocals and will be stuck in your head for days. "YOYVR" tells the tale of the McRackins trip to Bergamo, Italy a few years back for the annual Punk Rock Raduno festival. Fans have heard the tale of the lengthy travel the band went through to arrive to Italy. Unfortunately their gear was not in sight when they arrived. This strong alternative rocker is not unlike early Goo Goo Dolls or Soul Asylum. The spelling out of the song title in the chrous pays homage to the McRackins obvious Ramones influence. The track "Realize" which follows is a steady rocker which really shows the power in Spot's vocals. This is a classic tale about how you don't need anyone in your life to define who you really are. This track channels classic rockers KISS and Cheap Trick. Mick Wood of the Canadian sleaze rock band Dirtbag Republic lays down the guitar track along with a killer solo in the bridge. "A Dingo Ate My Baby" was initially released as a single before the album drop. This arena rock style anthem tells the tale of a camping trip gone wrong. This story has been previously depicted in the full length motion picture "A Cry In The Dark." You will be fist banging along to the chorus in no time. Spot channels 1980's power ballads on "Never Said I Loved You" which follows. This radio friendly track opens with a catchy guitar riff that sets the tone properly for the track. There are strong backing vocals which help accentuate the power of the chorus. Spot channels 90's Ramones on "Isolation Therapy" which was also released as a single. The song writing is similar to commercial metal with a strong pre-chorus leading up to the chrous. This anthematic song shows the versatility in Spot's vocal range. "Abandoned" picks up the pace in bringing punk rock tempo back around. This track starts with some hard hitting drumming. In true Ramones fashion, the word "Abandoned" is spelled out in the chorus. This is a fun song about fellow band mates Bil and Fil leaving him behind. J Prozac of the Prozacs makes a guest appearance on lead guitars. Fans of Dee Dee Ramone fronted Ramones or the Queers will certainly appreciate this number. The power pop vibes come full circle on "Take Me For A Walk" which follows. This love song will bring you back to the glory days of MTV and commercial rock radio. Spot starts "Bye Bye Love" strong with going right into the lyrics. Great backing vocals carry the power of this song about a girl leaving. What makes this interesting vocally is the pop punk backing vocals supporting a power pop vocal delivery. "Shut You Up" closes out this debut solo release by Spot McRackin. There is a lot of power behind the vocals on this track about simply being fed up with someone. Mick Wood lends his infectious guitar leads to this track. This epic track effectively summarizes all styles heard throughout the record.

Spot McRackin has presented the punk community with one of the catchiest albums I have heard in quite sometime. The mark of a good album is when the songs are immediately stuck in your head. What separates this album from previous works of Spot would be the song writing. "New Tricks" is a perfect melting pot of all musical styles which have been of influences over the years. Many have already stated this album would be the offspring of the McRackins and Cheap Trick. While that is not too far off, there is more going on as well. This album could easily transcend various genres successfully. Give Spot a bone for learning these "New Tricks."