Review: “Thin Blue Line” / “Rock and Roll Witness Protection Program” by Tines
Over the course of rock ‘n’ roll’s sordid history, different styles of songwriting have emerged and worked their ways to the forefront. On one end of the spectrum, bands such as Black Sabbath, The Who, and Rush have woven together fictional stories and flawless music to create grand, theatrical performances.
All the way on the other end of songwriting and storytelling resides punk rock. Its DIY ethics are breathed into every aspect of creating, performing, and way of life. Lyrics from punk bands are personal. The songs are shorter and hit harder than those of the rock ‘n’ roll grandfathers. Different, yes. Worse or better? That’s irrelevant.
Piercing the belief that a band must choose one style or the other is Buffalo, New York’s very own rock ‘n’ roll soldiers, Tines.
Members of Tines have lived in the trenches of rock ‘n’ roll since the ’90s, fronting various projects, running a recording studio, and booking their own shows and tours. This lifestyle of authenticity has culminated in the release of their single, “Thin Blue Line,” and the B-side, “Rock n Roll Witness Protection Program.” Both songs are forces to be reckoned with.
“Thin Blue Line”
“Thin Blue Line” borrows its opening from stadium rock act Thin Lizzy, with a guitar line reminiscent of the hit “Boys are Back in Town.” From there, the song kicks into gear with an uptempo melody with intricate guitar fills by Glenn Szymanski before falling back into a groove-based verse. Palm mutes and chunky-style guitar mesh well with lead singer Kelly Murphy’s vocals and the distortion effect that seems to be employed. The style is raspy, and it scratches that itch at the back of your throat.
The track powers forward into the chorus, elevating the entirety of the song. Murphy’s lyric “You’ve got to free yourself,” sung over the now full-blast groove, is a call to arms for anyone who has felt ensnared. It hits the listener directly in the chest. Szymanski roars to life with the guitar solo. The melodic and complex piece seems to shrug off any punk rock guilt for being played “too well” and storms directly to the rafters of a sold-out stadium.
“Rock n Roll Witness Protection Program”
Flip the 7” over, and you get “Rock n Roll Witness Protection Program.” Off the bat, the name is a mouthful, and it seems to be a possible tongue-in-cheek title or homage to Huey Lewis and The News. But Huey be damned, because Tines hit hard on this punk-styled B-side.
Eddie Pearsall’s halftime drumming unleashes the hounds, creating a perfect mosh pit groove. Murphy howls in a cadence that draws similarities to Germs frontman Darby Crash. But Tines refuses to stay in the punk rock box. Keys, an often overlooked instrument in punk rock, adds atmosphere and enriches the song thanks to member Arrow Fitzgibbon.
A sludge breakdown adds balance to the breakneck pace. Then the playbook is thrown out the window and run over by a lawnmower when a sitar comes to the front of the mix. It’s a refreshing curveball.
Verdict
Tines pokes and stabs through old-style thinking, employing a new outlook on the ever-aging art form that is rock ‘n’ roll. Simply put, they do what they want, and they pull it off. Whether you catch Tines in a sweaty Mohawk Place-type venue or a large theater, their music will transcend and get you pumping your fist.
