It's not often that a band can be judged by their name. Well seeing so, because Sid and Fancy - seemingly a letter away from the title of a 1986 film depicting the supposed demise of punk rock's biggest non-entity and his woman - is a name in bad taste. However, what this band delivers on this EP is six tracks of raw bluegrass-punk fury.
In a matter of seconds, "Lonesome Road Blues" grabs the listener by the already-swollen gonads, and refuses to relinquish. It should be noted that this sound is wonderfully primitive. If you aren't left with the urge for a drink by the end of this song, you almost certainly will be after "Johnny". This song takes on a much darker sound, but only grows in intensity. So far as this writer can see, there is no available explanation as to what "CROD" stands for, but after hearing the track, you won't give it so much as a thought. The EP departs with the anthemic "Shoutin' on the Hills". Owing as much to singer Aaron's commanding vocals as to drummer Kyle's drum rolls, the track hits heights of almost Pogues-ish brilliance.
Sid and Fancy's self-titled EP is one of great promise. This writer is always at a loss when a bluegrass album fails to contain a single song about alcohol, but Sid and Fancy may just have created an EP so damn good that they can be forgiven. The explosive merging of firebrand bluegrass and gutsy punk - something that can sound like Monday morning traffic if poorly executed - is likely to see you arrested for drink-driving if played in the car. It is that good. Just don't have this EP seen in your car.
Available from CD Baby.