LOSERS BEAT WINNERS

Reviewed by JB

            First, I must say it was extremely difficult for me to review the full length debut by Losers Beat Winners.  I received this album over two months ago and listened to it a few times but couldn’t reach a conclusion; so, I put it away until I felt the time was right.  I pride myself on being a very cultured and open minded person especially when it comes to music.  I’m not sure what shook my balanced strength of mind when it came to this assignment?!   I do apologize for the hesitancy.

            Well, the time seems right…my palette is cleansed…I’m ready to be brutally honest, so I slide in the self-titled album and begin typing…..Losers Beat Winners…interesting name and more interesting concept.  LBW was formed in 2001 by some Nashville transplants with very different backgrounds but one common love of punk rock.  Bob Grant, Scott McEwen, and Mark Pavlack joined forces to bring their visions to life.  With Bill Stevenson at the helm and Jason Livermore as first mate, the trio sailed to the studio.  The full length debut was completed in 2004 and by the end of 2005, they had inked a deal with Nashville’s own Spat! Records.  Scott McEwen ultimately decided to take on a different role with the band; therefore, enter Travis Collinsworth to complete the lineup.  That concludes a brief summary of the band; let’s get to the music…

These Losers come out swinging with the first track, Just a Regular Guy.  Bold, quick, and familiar is my first reaction.  Their sound immediately makes me think that if REM and The Dead Milkmen had a lovechild; Losers Beat Winners would be it.  Maybe that is what deferred my ability to write this, it’s not a totally unique sound.  The musicianship is incredible as is Grant’s vocals, but all the songs flow together without having definite distinction. 

I was impressed that such a big sound was coming from a three man band.  Pavlack quickly becomes a favorite drummer and his amazing skills standout especially on the second track, Forced to Watch.  But an issue I have while listening is that sometimes the vocals are not loud enough and cannot be understood.  Track six is the first time I recognize a noticeable change; Something is Gone slows the tempo to set the mood for the perfect dark brooding ballad.  Other songs like Bloom, Tell Me Where it Hurts, and Sour are fun catchy tunes that round out this debut.         

 LBW do have the noise component necessary for all punk rock bands, but the version captured on this cd is a watered down punk.  There’s an edge missing in their formula that goes along with punk rock.  To me, LBW is the pop radio friendly version for the beginner punk rock fan, a mild stepping stone introduction before being exposed to the raw hostility inspired genre of the 1970s.  If that is what LBW was trying to achieve then props to them; but in my opinion, these guys are too good of musicians to be so lightweight.  I’d like to see a live show; maybe there I would witness that edge I was speaking of earlier.  Losers Beat Winners self-titled cd can be found at http://www.myspace.com/spatspat.  You can learn more about the band at http://www.myspace.com/losersbeatwinners or www.losersbeatwinners.com.  In the end, I do like the album…as in all art, there are flaws but beauty is in the eye of the beholder!