ACID returns with their third and best full-length release titled The In Part Of The Out Crowd.
Available this fall on Main Man Records; the album will be distributed worldwide through the MVD Entertainment Group. The In Part Of The Out Crowd is the follow-up to their critically acclaimed sophomore effort, Tales Of Contempt, whose songs were prominently featured throughout the award-winning independent film, Let Me Down Hard, (starring Keith Roth) in 2016.
The In Part Of The Out Crowd is by far ACID’s most cohesive, catchiest, and all around best sounding batch of songs to date. This is due to the wonderful songwriting of leader/singer/guitarist Bobby Kennedy, the robust production work of Phil Caivano of Monster Magnet, and the insane mixing and drum work of
Joe DeMaio of Shorefire Studios. The record was then mastered in Australia by the legendary Leon Zervos, former superstar of Sterling Sound NYC, who gave it the final magical touches it needed to blow listeners away sonically.
Bobby Kennedy’s rich rock credentials vary, from guitarist for both New York Doll David Johansen and The Dictator’s Richard “Handsome Dick” Manitoba, to studio work with The Damned and Captain Sensible to his own successful TV and movie soundtrack production company. Those influences and more can be heard all over this exciting new record. ACID’s current lineup is rounded out by super-drummer Benjamin Clapp (Skeleton Key, Golden Boyz, Beach Slang) and bassist Johnny Firestone (Atlantic/Pacific, Farrows, Beach Slang). Look for the trio to take The In Part Of The Out Crowd to you live this fall and beyond.
Standout tracks on The In Part Of The Out Crowd include “Get Down”, which is currently in heavy rotation on FM 90.5 The Night, and “What’s Going On?” which is being played on FM 95.9 The RAT — two completely different radio station formats, which proves the widespread appeal and diversity of ACID.
Other essential tracks include “Corrupt”, which the band is soon releasing as a digital single with an accompanying video, and the future smash “Never on My Mind”, which no one can seem to get off their minds.
So, let’s take a listen to The In Part Of The Out Crowd and see what all the fuss is about.
The first song up is “What’s Going On?”. Clapp and Firestone literally make this song rumble as Kennedy takes off on his adventure to figure it all out. Guitars are viciously toned and played in the vein of Steve Jones (Sex Pistols) and an amazing vocal delivery a.k.a. Stiv Bators. I love how the song growls to life from Kennedy’s wah attack and right into the tune. Lyrically simple, Kennedy sings with the weight of the world on his shoulders, and it works like gangbusters. His jaded delivery is pure punk and well-worn from a guy that’s done it all and survived. The middle-eight lead break is simple and voraciously melodic before seeing Kennedy kicking back into the addictive chorus. The song is a great mix of old-school groups like The Godfathers and The Damned with newer acts like The Atari’s. A radio favorite and one of my favorite tracks on the disc, “What’s Going On?” is a hell of a starter track.
“Get Down” is up next and is also a radio station favorite to date. Combining spacious trio work, “Get Down” features a plethora of guitar goodness as well as fabulous beats. Once again, Kennedy sticks to what he knows. Lyrically speaking he gets right to the point and delivers his “fuck you” style of vocal delivery as Clapp and Firestone lay fabulous rhythms over chorus-filled guitar goodness. I love how the band kicks straight into many of their songs. They don’t waste a single note on long, drawn-out intros and grandiose setups, they just get up and go. This is another cleverly crafted song that blends the perfect amount of verse, bridge, and chorus to attract the attention of the listener and get them in the door at record stores and live shows. The handclaps are enticing, percussive and rhythmic. They really help make the song super radio friendly.
Another interesting song is “Kill Me Now”. Fueled by the intro of Johnny Firestone, “Kill Me Now” fires off a barrage of interesting musical points. Knowing Kennedy as I do, I love the emotional makeup of the song. The song portrays him as a very unsavory character, but that’s as far from the truth as you could get. But it worked for the song and made me laugh out loud at my desk. Once again, Kennedy stretches his guitar prowess to the farthest of all possibilities as he unleashes a combination of distortion-laced riffs, big barre chords and interesting fills that sort of remind me of George Harrison at times. The chorus is simple and brilliant as Kennedy laments his popularity in life. The middle-eight breaks down, and that’s when Kennedy lets out single note Harrison-like guitar lines that warble over Clapp and Firestone’s heavy drums and bass work.
Another great song is “Corrupt.” Kennedy and his crew kick back into the days of yore, bringing 1960s images of Hermits Hermits and The Beatles into the present here as only they can. Guitars are everywhere. Kennedy must have had a bunch of guitars in the studio when he tracked as I can hear a little of everything here. Stylishly speaking, nuances of the late, great Ed King (Strawberry Alarm Clock) and Brian Alterman from The Records. The song smacks your brain against the wall as Kennedy sings of simple things, rays of sunshine and killing time and then rewind. I love the siren-like guitar lines that rip over the opening and into the verse. Kennedys success is taking great musical ideas and combining them with simple lyrics and great players.
The In Part Of The Out Crowd will have a total of ten songs on it and should be out sometime in early fall, and I urge you to find it, buy it and wear it out. It’s really that good. This record is produced extremely well, and the mastering is superb. Combine that with the talented players used here as well as Kennedy’s vast knowledge of songwriting and humor and you have a bonafide record of the year on your hands.
Pressed on CD and vinyl with DDL card, pick up The In Part Of The Out Crowd at your local record store and online at mainmanrecords.com as well as iTunes, Target, Best Buy, Amazon and Wal-Mart and at the band’s own website acidhq.com. For more info, check out @havesomeacid and
facebook.com/AcidHQ. Preview the entire record here:
acid2.bandcamp.com/releases.
