Cassette Review: Nate Cartwright "7 Year Hangover" (Merica "Records")

[$5 // Edition of 10 // https://mericarecords.bandcamp.com/album/7-year-hangover]

If you've ever wondered what the difference was between "folk punk" and "acoustic punk", then simply listen to these songs by Nate Cartwright as they are obviously acoustic punk because, yes Virginia, there is a difference.   And boy does Nate Cartwright pound these songs out with as much anger and defiance as hopelessness and pessimistic outlooks.    Sometimes he does offer up that glimmer of hope, but for the most part his songs seem to be for the downtrodden.

While this reminds me of that one acoustic song by Rise Against, there are other bands out there that have either gone acoustic or done one or two acoustic songs that come out just as well and, I mean, just imagine Rancid or NOFX strumming acoustic guitars instead of having an entire band.    It's just a flurry of chords with bloody fingers and don't let anyone try and tell you that punk rockers cannot play their instruments because Nate Cartwright obviously knows his way around a guitar.

His lyrical content is something that I can relate to because rather than songs about living with his parents he sings about having to pay rent and I just feel like too many of the people embracing punk these days are privelaged kids who live at home still so it's refreshing to hear someone sing about problems that affect me now and not the me of however many years and years ago.   There is also a sense of anarchy to them, as at one point he confesses he doesn't care that it's Halloween because "the holidays are all made up", which I tend to agree with more than not.  (Although that is also the mindset of- I believe- the Jehovah's Witnesses because they don't celebrate any holidays)

On top of all of this, Nate Cartwright brings out that mentality at other times of one of my favorite all-time bands, Guttermouth, as it's just that kind of "Fuck you / fuck him / fuck that guy / and fuck them" sort of message to his lyrics and, no, I will never tire of hearing people sing about how much they hate other people so long as their hate is equal opportunity.    By the end, after several listens, I feel like some of these songs are more optimistic than I give Nate Cartwright credit for, but they are a lot of fun to listen to really whatever your mindset is at the moment and, yes, my three year old is dancing to them, moshpit style.