Andrew Winter and the Reckless Dodgers - Be Prepared

Andrew Winter and the Reckless Dodgers (AWRD) finally released their debut ep. It’s called Be Prepared and came out under Andrew Winter’s co-owned label “Ahoy Hoy! Records” . A four-song-demo and some live-shows in America and Europe already gave us little hints what to expect from the ep. But were you really prepared for the eight-songs of mountain punk since it’s totally different from what we’ve heard from Andrew “Stripes” Winter playing in other bands? For the people wondering  why we write a review about a non-horror album, the answer is simple: we love good music. And AWRD definitely belongs in that category. So reanimate your dead brains and check it out and be prepared…

The self-proclaimed mountain punk troubadour is influenced by different kinds of music like Buddy Holly, Green Day and Face To Face.  So it doesn’t surprise that AWRD-songs are a mix of country, rock’n’roll and alternative punkrock. The result is songs that can be played in a pub but also entertain the audience in a club, tunes that are fun to listen to and let your feet imitate theirs rhythms.  Not matter if it’s the piano in Jenny or Waiting, the e-guitar of Misery or the energy of Sinking Feeling: every song is unique and performed with a lot of talent.

While the music puts you in a good mood, the lyrics are serious and deep. They  draw a picture of the personal experiences Andrew Stripes Winter collected in his life. Even if the lyrics are serious and tell negative stories, the whole album gives you a positive vibe. Best example: the first single Silver Lining! lines like “we’ll all get out alive” transport the main-message never to give up.

Among the eight songs you’ll also find a cover of Mister Monster’s classic This Night I Call Bad Luck.  This version with a new twist fits perfect to the other tracks and is a nice bridge between Andrew’s horrorpunk-past and mountain-punk-future. You better buy your copy of Be Prepared, get “the soothing sounds of Starlight Decay” or “you’ll never learn how to dance…” 

Tracklist (Lengh: ca. 28 minutes):

1. Silver Lining

2. Jenny

3. Misery

4. Skining Feeling

5. Waiting 

6. Tennesee

7. This Night I Call Bad Luck

8. Make It Right

Review by P.G.