There are bands that immediately hit the fast lane after their formation. There, the gas pedal is pressed down until the floorboard creaks, and in no time at all, the band is on everyone's lips.
Such a band seems to be TOMMY GUN from Austria. Barely formed and having finished setting up their rehearsal space, they were already lined up for gigs with Mad Sin, The Real Mc Kenzies, The Generators, US Bombs, Los Fastidios, and Radio Dead Ones. Those are strong references, even if one might point out that there aren't as many good punk bands in Austria as there are here.
With “Always True,” the five-piece releases their first album. On this, the band presents us with twelve songs that are surprisingly mature and clean for a debut work.
TOMMY GUN plays catchy melodic punk rock that sometimes looks to California, sometimes touches on emo, sometimes goes into street punk, and is adorned with a bunch of sing-alongs. Besides the faster songs, the band also shows on the album that they know how to craft ballads. Musically, this is top-notch for a debut. Vocally, everything is also great, and the musicians know their instruments well.
So is this an album that can be wholeheartedly recommended, hoping that the band becomes even more well-known from now on?
Not at all. Everything the band offers is not bad and leaves me continuously surprised, as it is really very professional and clean for a debut. However, that is also the problem with TOMMY GUN. The guys are too clean. The tattoos they wear, the clothes they have on, and the sound they play, it’s all okay; the clichés are fulfilled but nothing more. It’s a band that swims along in the sea, doesn’t make a bad figure, but doesn’t stand out. The melodies quickly get into your ear but don’t stick. Live, the band might create greater enthusiasm through their presence. However, I can also imagine that after the gig, no melody can be hummed anymore. The band gives me the impression that they would like to be right at the front, but when it comes down to it, they would rather have a barrier in front of the stage than wild fans wanting to sing along with them. Maybe I’m mistaken. It’s hard to explain, but that certain something is missing.
When I think of bands like Radio Dead Ones, Mad Sin, The Real Mc Kenzies, or Los Fastidios, they make a more sincere impression.
Despite everything, a solid debut work.
