Victory Square by The Dreadnoughts

This is the second studio album by The Dreadnoughts. The Dreadnoughts are a band I make a great effort to go to as many shows as humanly possible due to the fact that they have an insane stage presence. Providing fast and loud folk punk and polka, they dominate every stage they step. I've watched folks in plaid and in leather go from mosh pits to polka rings (and polka conga lines) with their music.

For those unfamiliar with the band, The Dreadnoughts were formed in Vancouver and have since moved over to the New York area. The band has seen a number of members come and go, each bringing their unique sound to the group and helping it grow and improve. The lead singer, Nick Smyth (Sometimes referred to as "The Fang"), states on the band was influenced by the like of The Pogues, Rancid, Dropkick Murphys, and various Polka groups such as Polkacide.

This particular album is a nod to their hometown of Vancouver and is about various locations important to the band

The track list is as follows:

Impressions of the Album

A solid mix of both folk music and punk in my personal opinion. The Dreadnoughts were my introduction to the world of cider punk/folk punk/shanty punk/whatever else punk they decide to throw this band under. While this was not the first album I heard by them, it was one I keep coming back to because it's such a fun mix of polka tracks that just go and punk tracks that would be right at home for most of the concerts I go to. I personally would recommend this album for anyone curious about folk punk along with their album Polka Never Dies (Don't worry, I'll review that one too once I get the chance!).

For this particular album, I think the drums are an insanely powerful part of what makes it work. Ivanhoe is obviously the song that shows them off the most at first with that rolling kind of intro, but listen to any of the tracks and you can HEAR the drummer back there giving it all he's got! The violin is also a delight on this album. The interplay between the violin and lead guitar is gorgeous through the album - especially in West Country. Smyth's vocals also always scratch my brain in such a nice way. Clean, but scratchy! Not to mention when he does scream, it is SO powerful and gorgeous. You should hear it live if you ever get the chance! The accordian does a lot of heavy lifting to help bolster the chords in the songs, but I do wish this album showed them off a little more. Thankfully, other albums from The Dreadnoughts fills that void for me. Overall, this is one of their stronger albums in my personal opinion and I think they sound lovely.

Favorite Track: Samovar

To my ear, it's perhaps not the most complex track on the album, but it is indeed the one I find myself singing around my apartment. Something about the melody of the song really catches my ear (Especially that violin in the start!), plus it's fun to just sing the chorus. I find myself falling more and more in love with this track the more I listen to it. Honorable mentions for favorite tracks would include Boneyard, The Skrigjaargen Polka, and Eliza Lee (Sorry, I am indeed a shanty guy like that).

Haydes' overall album rating: 4.5/5