Knifin' Around Releases Their First Album this Weekend

This weekend Knifin' Around is releasing their first album. The South Warren based punk band features four faces that you are probably pretty familiar with if you have ever gone to a punk show in the Detroit area. Erik Martin is on vocals, Dan Kaltz on guitar, Johnny Allport on bass, and Jesse Armstrong is behind the drums. Earlier this week the guys passed along a copy of the CD to me. I've seen them live once, and judging by their taste in music, I figured it would be pretty good. What I didn't expect is that it would be really fucking good! 

Cut In Half was recorded at Train a Comin' Recordings with Bryan Griffin, who has also recorded Against the Grain among other great Detroit area bands. The cover art was done by the band's own drummer with input from the rest of the band members and influence from Black Flag's album My War. The album is a solid 8 songs long. One of the key elements to any good punk album in my book is that there are segments where you can grab the guy next to you, toss your beer up in the air and sing along. This record has that, hilarious quotes from movies (something I miss hearing on albums now a days), and even a catchy new dance track, the "South Warren Shuffle". In all seriousness though, this album is one of the better releases I've heard in a while. Probably the best Detroit punk album I've heard since Frank White a.k.a. Black Jack Wilson's All Glory Is Fleeting. Although you can't hear the whole album for yourself yet, the band has released three tracks on bandcamp. Check out one of those, "Empty Bottles (and Broken Belts)", below. 

The first time you will be able to pick this new album up is at the release show this Saturday, June 4th. Knifin' Around will be taking over the New Dodge in Hamtramck along with their friends Max Ether, Aggro Or Die! and Crooked Cobras from Pittsburgh. This is an all around awesome lineup and it will only cost you $7 to get in the door. If you pick up a CD at the show, you'll also get a free poster with it, while supplies last. Trust me, you want this CD and you want to go to this show! There's a lot going on this weekend in the Detroit area, but this show should be at the top of your list!

Doors are set to open at 7 p.m. on Saturday and 18+ are welcome. The New Dodge is located at 8850 Joseph Campau in Hamtramck. For more details on this show, click here.

~C