Professionally recorded by drummer Drew LeClair, the Awful Lot’s debut hurtles through high-speed snot-rockets such as “I’m a Wreck” and “No Call No Show” like Pennywise’s booze-breath River City cousins one minute, and then in the next breath swings through the Irish-flavored “A Chorus of Booze” as if they were Dropkick Murphys’ dopey little brothers. With the instrumental trio flashing fire and skill, vocalist/songwriter Dave Armstrong bawls with confidence. That results in 14 head-shaving anthems obsessed with the toll taken by a lifetime of bad livin’.

***.5

This article appears in April 13 • 2018.

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Tim Stegall contributed to The Austin Chronicle 1991-1995, and was a staff writer 1995-1997. He returned as a contributor in 2013. He has also freelanced for publications ranging from Flipside to Alternative Press to Guitar World. He plays punk rock guitar and sings in the Hormones.