ZapTown

Walter Schreifels
An Open Letter to the Scene
Big Scary Monsters Records
Rating: 5 out of 5

Links:
Walt on MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/walterschreifelsmusic

Walt’s Homepage: http://www.waltertown.com
Big Scary Monsters Recording Company: http://www.bsmrocks.com

For the uninitiated, unaware, or uncultured, Walter Schreifels is a bit of an icon in punk circles. I won’t give you the whole breakdown on Mr. Schreifels in this album review, but he has been a creative juggernaut in punk rock, hardcore, and post hardcore. With bright and clean studio production and raspy vocals, he reenters the indie world.

In one way or another, he has lent his hand to Youth of Today, CIV, Quicksand, Rival Schools, and Walking Concert. On top of all of these (and more) bands, he cuts another slice of Walter Pie with his solo record, An Open Letter to the Scene.

Primarily acoustic in content and alt-indie-rock-pop in nature, Open Letter is the logical next step in his musical process; this is Schreifles as a post-hardcore artist playing in an indie style and acoustic versions of post-hardcore songs.

The first track, “Arthur Lee’s Lullaby” is a slow and sweet tune about the American singer who died a few years back. Another cute track is “Ballad of Lil’ Kim,” a song wondering aloud what the hip hip mogul is like when she’s not busy keeping up her image for the cameras. Both of these songs are thoroughly enjoyable.

The third track, “Society Sucker” is an acoustic cover of the Agnostic Front (!) song. It’s a rambunctious song to hear in its original format, and even more difficult to make sound intelligible on the acoustic guitar; however, Walter delivers better than an ambulance driver.  Schriefels also covers “Don’t Gotta Prove It,” originally done by CIV. This second acoustic cover is much better suited to be heard in an acoustic format.

The title track, that’s number ten “if you’re looking for it” for the album bears special mention. This is the most endearing I have heard Walter thus far. As far as I can ascertain, the song is about punk icon Ray “Raybeez” Barbieri. Without getting into a full bio of Raybeez, which would be another full-length article itself, suffice to say he was an enormous asset to the East Coast punk and hardcore scene in the 80s and 90s.  The song is a recap of his funeral:

“…and not everyone really liked him all the time/at the Sunday matinee he filled the sky/to the dear departed/and to the broken hearted family/at the harcore funeral I cried and cried/for the passing of a hero of the Lower East Side….”

If you buy only one song from this recording from Indierocket.net, the title track should be the one…. but do yourself the favor- get the whole damned thing.

This record shows the increasing range of skills Mr. Schreifels has. His vocal range is stretched out a bit, but it doesn’t come off as untalented, but rather as endearing and heartfelt. An Open Letter to the Scene is the bright red tomato sauce in a steaming plate of vegetarian lasagna on a cold night. Thanks go to Walter for giving me material to review that I can finally give a 5 out of 5 rating.

RIYL: Rival Schools, Onelinedrawing, any East Coast punk/hardcore/post-hardcore of the 80s and 90s.

Walter Schreifels – “Society Suckers” Video