Dirty Work – Between the Tracks (Album Review)

Between the Tracks is the first full-length CD release by the rock band Dirty Work. The album consists of ten songs.

‘Charleigh Getaway’ is the opening track. According to the band’s Bandcamp page, the song is about a woman ‘so sick and tired of abuse at the hands of her man that she takes matters into her own hands without considering the consequences. We’ll have to take the band’s word for it, as the song’s lyrics occasionally get drowned out by the heavy sound. Sound-wise, the track showcases Thom Braun’s drums and Jason ‘The Professor’ Kloosterman’s crunchy guitar. Rob Fontano provides the raspy vocals, with Ken Fioretti on bass.

Next is ‘Love Song’. Again, we hear the familiar raspy vocals, crunchy guitar, bass, and drums. Lyrically, the persona speaks of flying halfway across the country just to say ‘goodbye’ to a lover. That’s the core tension: the necessity of a farewell suggests a relationship gone sour. Love was no longer in the equation, replaced by obligation – a scenario that speaks to how some relationships endure out of duty rather than passion.

The subsequent track is ‘Nero’s Fiddle’. The song starts with a single, isolated lyric: ‘Showtime!’. This declaration is self-aware, acknowledging the band’s role as performers. The title itself alludes to self-awareness: Emperor Nero was famously linked to music. ‘Welcome to the show!’, we hear, before the song turns cynical with the line, ‘You came to see the empire burning’. Both the instrumental sound and the vocals are noticeably deeper on this track.

‘No More (Don’t Do It)’ follows. The mix of drums and guitar is excellent here. The lyrical persona reflects on past mistakes and proclaims they are now a changed person. The track features a persistent refrain: ‘I don’t do that thing’.

Up next is ‘Stone in my Shoe’. The band describes the song as ‘a rough and rowdy bluesy rocker’. This is the first time the band significantly ups the ante with the distorted guitar, featuring a high-gain crunch. The vocals are deeper but also laconic. The lyrical persona talks about a relationship being good when the lover was good, but acknowledges that it ‘wasn’t gonna stay that way’.

The title track, ‘Between the Tracks’, is next. While the crunch remains, it’s not as deep as it was in the previous song. The band writes that the track ‘cuts deep into life’s pitfalls and victories’. It’s a study in brutal realism – an analysis of life that ultimately speaks to the necessity of toughing it out. I’m tempted to interpret it specifically as toughing it out as a man.

‘Right Here’ is a love song with a sweet mix of guitar and drums. The lyrical persona is in a reflective mood: sitting at a bar, looking at an ex’s phone number, and observing that a year has passed. If their former partner wants to reconcile, the persona simply says they are ‘right here’.

‘Desperate Rider’ follows. The band notes they are unsure whether the song ‘seems to be either a sequel or prequel to Charleigh Getaway, exploring the journey of a woman on the run for her life’. This track features a bluesy guitar and bass, with the crunch guitar notably absent. There’s a vocal mix incorporating some singing and a speech-like delivery, reflecting the song’s narrative form. The persona recounts picking up a woman who tells them a story about realizing her man was dead at some point.

‘Sister Kratomite’ follows. Crunchy guitar returns, and the raspy vocals are mean and at times strained. The guitar and drums mix is excellent, and the distortion grows as the instruments eventually overpower the vocals. This track is a great reminder of the inherent coolness of distortion in rock music. Lyrically, this is an edgy song – the first time Dirty Work has been this provocative – with the persona expressing a desire to make Sister Kratomite cum. We also hear that she’s horny.

‘Hard Honesty’, the final song, again features an impressive crunch and drums. The vocals are deeper and edgy. The band writes about the song having honest lyrics, though I find the lyrics somewhat scattered.

SCORE/Excellent: This is an excellent crunch guitar and drums album. However, one has to mention the monotony of those instruments. If you love male voices and male singing, this one is for you.

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