Buzzin Music Blog

Crazy Arm - Born To Ruin

Plymouth’s hard-rocking roots-punks, Crazy Arm produce true grit punk rock – 21st century style.

After three false starts, Crazy Arm have eventually released a debut album. Born To Ruin is a well produced, polished debut album that is not that simple to drop into a clearly labelled box.

Born To Ruin is an aural accumulation of years and years of influence and inspiration.  Country punk rock and hardcore is clearly audible in both the raw hard rocking guitar-led tunes and vocal angst.  But a more commercial sides of rock give Crazy Arm several aspects and layers to their music.

But in the same way that London Calling by The Clash, The Argument by Fugazi and Under The Fog by The King Blues are punk rock records, Born To Ruin by Crazy Arm, though uncomfortably so, is best categorised as a punk rock album.

But unlike three chord thrash of the 1970s, Crazy Arm are much more melodic in their tunes and more restrained with their vocal delivery.  All of which makes this type of hard-edged rock music more accessible and radio-friendly in 2009.

For instance, Blind Summit and Broken By The Wheel may be dynamic country-punk anthems – all slide guitars and self-confession, but Christ In Concrete and Asphalt harness the dark brooding tones of 16 Horsepower. Reassure Me may pack a melodic hardcore punch, but International Front – a slight upon imperialist wars – and Henry Fabian Flynn pay tribute to the protest song of Dick Gaughan, Pete Seeger, Phil Ochs, et al.

Elsewhere, live favourites like the galloping Still To Keep call to mind the sub-pop sensibilities of Ted Leo or The Replacements.  All told, Born To Ruin is a good rocking debut album.

Here’s the promotional video for thedebut single taken from Born To Ruin, Broken By The Wheel

Crazy Arm – Born To Ruin is out now on Xtra Mile Recordings.

For more information visit www.Myspace.com/CrazyArm