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The six men have been causing a stir for 8 years now, and this year their current album "Mayday" was released on the small label Tollshock. If you're wondering where you know Tollshock from, I can only say Fluchtweg. That was the band that released the great song "Arbeitsscheue Ostler" and the equally brilliant sticker featuring the drinking construction worker. Additionally, Tollshock has released the LP of the current release from The Movement.
But now let's focus on THE POKES.
The band plays folk punk, a genre that has gained quite a bit of reputation in recent years. However, the band does not try to follow in the footsteps of well-known bands but instead aims to create their own style.
This unique style mixes (Irish) folk-punk, medieval influences, and rock. The results vary. A song like "Bottoms Up" hits you immediately and makes you smile when the familiar melody from the "Miss Marple" mysteries plays. You automatically start tapping your foot to the beat and singing along.
The title track moves a bit away from folk punk, leaning more towards medieval sounds. The song is overall rockier.
“Brooding,” as the last song example, got on my nerves during the first listen and hasn’t improved with repeated listens.
So, this record has plenty of light but also some shadows.
The best description of the band is:
Not Irish - Not traditional - Just poking the fire.
Anyone who buys the CD in the beautiful digipack directly from the label Tollshock not only supports the label directly but also receives the CD in a special version. So quickly head over to the label's homepage www.tollshock.de and grab it.
