Doug C and the Blacklisted

I got a rather pointed e-mail the other day. It read “Why do punk rockers think they can play country music?” from none other than Doug Carrion of the Descendants and Circle Jerks, among others.

It’s a good question, though. I wondered this myself in high school — why was I so drawn to both genres? And could the twain ever meet? (The answer is presented to you here on this blog.)

I think it’s because both punk and country come from the same place. The songs are — theoretically — supposed to be easy enough for just anyone to play. As we all know, there’s power in a three-chord song. More importantly, both songs are about isolation. The only difference is the approach: cowboys are sad, lonely, or sardonic, and urban punks are pissed off. With maturity, one turns into the other.

 
So where does that leave Doug Carrion? Well I guess he’s grown up because this four-song EP is pure country. Yeah, there’s that special bite to it that only punk rockers know how to do but for the most part these songs are sad (or at least the idea of a weekend warrior makes me sad, even though I am one), lonely, and sardonic. There’s no questioning the competence of Carrion or his band. They’re tight-knit and sound like they’re having a heck of a lot of fun.
And let’s face it — the loneliness is not a bad thing. After all, if you felt happy and accepted, well, you’d be singing Broadway musicals.

Doug C and the Blacklisted — Facebook, Soundcloud (free downloads)