The French Irish Coalition - What A Time To Die

Yes, I know this column is called the Vinyl Word, but this month we need to make an exception.

The subject of this review is currently only available for purchase as a cassette or in the digital world on Bandcamp.

In case you missed the parade for the release of this cassette, no need to worry. There wasn’t one, but maybe there should have been one.

You may ask, who is the artist worthy of a parade in Green Bay for a cassette release?

The Beatles? Violent Femmes? Worlds? Nope, just a band that has been rocking great original music in Green Bay for almost twenty years and should be an automatic mention when talking about the pillars of long standing original music bands in Green Bay such as Fun W/Atoms, Holly and The Nice Lions and Boris the Sprinkler (who have more active than inactive in recent times).

That band is the French Irish Coalition (FIC), who have been voted the band from Green Bay most likely to play your friend’s wedding and to be asked to play the Muddy Roots Music Festival.

The FIC are a duo of Julien Routheaux on guitar and lead vocals and Travis Pashek on drums.

They play a sun-drenched blues rock that is very heavy.

When you listen to members of the founding fathers of heavy metal bands such as Black Sabbath and Judas Priest talk about the origins of heavy metal, the reoccurring theme is it’s just blues sped up.

The FIC tap that vein for sure, but they do it with the perspective of two musicians both born many decades later giving it their own fresh take.

When I listened to What A Time To Die the first time, I heard the blues influence of Son House, Robert Johnson, Skip James, Howlin’ Wolf and Elmore James mixed with early Iron Maiden, Metallica Ride the Lightening era, Nirvana, Jon Spencer and the Pixies.

This cassette rocks so hard and heavy, at times I ask are they slowing down heavy metal to make the blues?

I like music with soul, and when it comes to you, this bombastic use of guitar and drums.

Better yet, when it has an element of danger that it could break down in musical chaos.

All I can say is sign me up.

FIC can stand tall with other bands that rock the blues ultra heavy such as Left Lane Cruiser and Wisconsin’s own 20 Watt Tombstone.

My favorite songs are “The Warlock,” “Figure it Out,” “Ain’t Talking About It,” “What A Time to Die” and “The Astrologer.”

What a Time To Die available for purchase at the GBUFO.