It’s taken a few years, but I am finally able to accept that “World Punk” is a legitimate genre. Thanks to bands like World Inferno/Friendship Society, Gogol Bordello, and most importantly Firewater, I realize this is far more than a novelty, but a full on movement, building on what punk bands like The Clash were evolving to in the late 70’s and early 80’s.
International Orange, their sixth release, is as good as anything the band has ever put to tape (Wax? Digital?). Coming in just under a dozen tracks, there are no weak ones in the collection. Songs like the haunting “Strange Life” and the stellar “Tropical Depression” have been stuck in my head for days. Recorded in Turkey and Israel in the middle of last year’s Arab Spring, you can hear the energy in the album, a mix of optimism, fear and uncertainty.
Firewater –International Orange/11 tracks/Bloodshot Records/2012
