Reviews

Alternative Rock Review (UK): Hailing from Los Angeles, buoyant rockers Battery Life have got the attitude, sound and drive to go places. Their recent long player Shotgun Loudmouth contains raw enthralling moments that recall Husker Du, Groop Dogdrill, Therapy? and even Supersuckers at times. Vocalist Paul Almanza has a gut-wrenching delivery that compliments the punk-garage racket being made with I'm sure are alt-county elements thrown in. Besides Who Said is Americanised Therapy?, all buzz-saw guitars, unrelenting pace and passionate vocals, and to demonstrate Battery Life are no one-trick ponies the closing Somewhere In The Night is a harmonica drenched number that ends with a chaotic instrumental breakdown. The most commercial and potential hit moment is the lengthy titled Stay Cool In The Dark In The Summer with appealing melody in the toe-tapping chorus and chugging guitars. Despite at times sounding like one long vodka-fuelled hardcore record, Shotgun Loudmouth has so much fervour in its material; it becomes an assault to jolt the listener from its complacency. To me the record sounds like a modern update of Husker Du frenzied-paced rock that is exhausting yet alluring, monotonous yet welcoming, and above all, just good solid unpretentious rock.

Aiding & Abetting (North Carolina, US): Back when I was a pup in college, I listened to bands like the Jayhawks and Uncle Tupelo and Soul Asylum play to "crowds" of a dozen or two. And those were the "big" bands. Plenty of other acts slid up and down the roots-punk axis, but most of them didn't even leave a CD tombstone. Battery Life could be one of those. And I mean that in the best way possible.
The feeling is nice and loose, somewhere between Made to Be Broken and the rougher edges of No Depression. These boys claim to be simply a punk band that likes pop music, but the truth is even more complicated.
What is true is that the songs are plentiful, short and well-cut. There is an underlying bombast which provides plenty of power. But the melodies are as much Gram Parsons as they are Bob Mould, with cloudy lyrics casting a pleasant pall over bright hooks...These boys play my kind of music. Period.

Logo Magazine (UK): California’s Battery Life sound like The Waterboys might had they studied Harry Smith’s ‘Anthology Of American Folk Music’ rather than the bottom of Van Morrison’s beermat, and speak of the direction that Josh Rouse might have travelled had he hooked up with Paul Westerberg.

babysue (Georgia, US): Nice direct punchy pop/rock with a slight hint of country. The three gentlemen in Battery Life play straight from the hip. Their tunes are simple and instantly catchy...utilizing nothing more than basic drums/bass/guitar arrangements. The band's exceptional melodies are supported by skillful playing and a vocalist with real presence...turning what might be mere pop tunes into energetic and vital hypnotic bite-sized rock nuggets. The songs on Shotgun Loudmouth are an interesting hybrid of pop, punk, and country (more the former than the latter two). By playing simple feelgood music without unnecessary frills...these guys succeed where many others fail. Cool cuts include "Stay Cool in the Dark in the Summer," "Typical Thinking Man's Blues," "Besides Who Said," and "Somewhere in the Night." Cool stuff. (Rating: 4+++)

Indie Recon (Washington, US): I's sooo confused. These guys are all over the board. Usually that would be a bad thing but you know what, these guys pull it off so well it makes for an interesting and entertaining album. There are a whole lot of 50's pop sounds, country, and punk. It's just crazy. Hillman pumps out a very 50's set sound, while Almanza vocals are very reminisent of R.E.M's Michael Stipe (early stuff). The classical guitar and the usual punk grind makes for an interesting mix that so few bands have been able to pull off.
Harmonica and harp's in some songs are very telling of a possible Blues Traveler influence. There are some very obvious country based songs. This seems to be a new a interesting twist in the punk genre - alt/punk country. Overall this album is freak'n awesome. These guys are awesome musicians that seem to work well together to produce a sound that still very new to the scene. (IR) (IR) (IR) (IR) (4/5 stars, heh)

Silly Little Trouser Monkees (Illinois, US): Well, I would have to be a blithering, slobbering over medicated idiot to miss the early Beatles sounds here, plus the fact that no matter how you slice this sandwich, the band reminds me of Charlie Chesterman and to a lesser extent (*without the organ) Scruffy the Cat. I would have no problem sitting at the bar having a few drinks and listening to this band, and enjoying myself. They are a little rough around the edges, which I think stems from them not wanting over produce the record, and that is fine with me. There is no reason a band like this has have a slick edge to it.  Also they remind me of the Slugs, a fine Chicago band that skewed their music a little more to the pop side. I like the fact that I can really hear the drums in on most of the songs, glad to hear a band that is not afraid to put the drums up there and let them be heard. I can see following this band just like I do Chesterman and the Slugs, but let's hope that this band knows how to release music once every few years instead of once every eight or so (like the Slugs, I mean I love your music, but fuck, why do I have to wait that long?) or promising to release something and then doing nothing (like not updating your web site more than once every two months) like Chesterman.

Mohair Sweets (Winnipeg, Canada): Smooth transitions between country-tinged rock and punk all the while maintaining a strong and tasteful melodic core. The guys all share SoCal punk and country-punk scene pedigrees and this release should more than make that crowd pretty darn happy. Solid stuff and a very pleasant surprise.

Read Magazine (New York, US): Great power pop with a down-home, heartland tinge, likely due to the guitar's country twang and occasional slips into alt-country and folk rock.

Daredevil Magazine (Germany): Wow...this is the disc which is spinnin' in my CD-Player for a week now and it´s not gettin´ boring. Why?...cause the three guys of Battery Life are damn good musicians and the now how to make catchy songs with a lot of heart and emotion in it! Shotgun Loudmouth is so full of variety, cause Battery Life mixes Pop with Punk and put some Country and Garage to it...and I only can say that the three are really good in what they're doing...sometimes the music remind me of Social Distortion, but that´s maybe just me...I only can say...BUY THIS ALBUM.

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Paul Almanza (lead vocals, guitar): Paul has established his punk rock street cred as a member of the long-running Mad Parade, The Steps (another underground legend), Million Six, Chainsaw Pop and The Stilletos. Now, he's the leader and primary songwriter of Battery Life, and he has a thing or two to tell you.


Mike Lawrence (bass, vocals): A punk, country and pop veteran, Mike has played in Misguided Youth (with Chris Bagarozzi, later of Sacred Miracle Cave, Clawhammer and Midget Hand Job), Action Now (with Paula Pierce [later of The Pandoras], Scott Hillman and Chris), The Sun Demons (with Scott and Chris), Lucky (with Kristi Callan, Avebury Records co-founder Kelly Callan and David Nolte of Wednesday Week fame) and Haymaker (with former Divine Weeks guitarist Raj Makwana). Coaxed out of retirement, Mike adds a few lead vocals and songwriting twists to Battery Life.


Scott Hillman (drums): Playing punk rock since Day One, Scott's first band was Demi Quaver, which featured Bill Ciraulo (later Billy Ledges of Mad Parade) and Kenny Sercu (later known as Dim Wanker of F-Word fame). Next, Scott and Bill formed Johnny Law. Parting ways, Scott joined Action Now and was later in the Sun Demons (both with Mike Lawrence). Later, Scott was in Chainsaw Pop and The Stilletos with Paul Almaza. Currently, Scott also plays in Bangers & Mash, a fun, punk rock version of the '60s. One last thing, Scott is also famous for the singing Bat Boy on his bass drum.


Check out photos from Battery Life's April 2004 show at The Anarchy Library in Downey, California.