Seattle punks Wages of Sin owe a lot to their European counterparts the Pogues!  Melting rockabilly, punk, waltzes and Celtic influences into a stream of constant enjoyable music, the band succeeds in creating a great atmosphere that is reminiscent to The Pogues, Flogging Molly and assorted acts! 

Leading track “Skull Creek Logger” blasts open and we immediately know what to expect from these guys. Full of rockabilly grooves, Irish Mist and war drums the band brings you a tale about work, slavery, gambling and whoring!  Followed by probably the finest tune on the album, “The Drunkyard’s Paryer” is a song about Rhum and rambling and comes with a well known chorusline of "tur-a-lur-a-laddie.  If not singing about Alcohol, whores or gambling then it’s the Union that makes them strong!  “The Black Lung Blues” is about a family of miners and their symphaty for the union! But leftists are only as stong as there weakest comrade and never that smart as a real free man! The union might not be broken, but god will punish them with black lung or caves in. “Haymarket” starts out as a fine folk waltz, but quickly turns out to be a great punkabilly song about another union Stint!  On a “Bible and a Gun” the band lay down their adrenaline driven songs and take some rest with a down-tempo tune. Sailors, pirates and bucaneers are also a good inspiration for these guys and both “Razor in My Pocket” and “Ten Fathoms Deep” comes with that theme! “The way to heaven is paved with lust and power”!These are the mighty instruments of each preacher!  In “Portrait of and Evengelist” it becomes clear that each preacher started out as a sinner and seldom forget the days and tricks long gone!

For thirteen tunes long the band rambles on and brings you in an ecxtacy that only can be found on albums like these. Seattle can be proud on their Wages Of Sin.  The band takes roots music in all kinds of different direction, exploring boundaries and terretories that are not new, but certainly needed to be visited again. Gringo Mariachiis really great album and I’m pretty sure that live this band is a real party band! 

Mr, Blue Boogie