March 2nd, 2012 - Old Brews and New Cadavers

My final pairing for this evening's festivities are both local favorites -  Midvale, Utah's Bohemian Brewery's Czech Pilsener and Salt Lake City punk band, Victims Willing and their amazing 2010 album "Old Bones and New Cadavers."

Now admittedly, I'm not usually a huge pilsner fan, but Bohemian Brewery's Czech Pilsener is a delicious and refreshing beer with great flavor and a clean finish.  In fact, I love this beer so much, it has become the staple brew in my house!  Taken from the can's description - "distinguised from other lagers by a more prominent hop character," Bohemian Brewery's Czech Pilsener definitely has a wonderful hop character that you usually will not find in American pilsners.  It pours a beautiful, gold with a subtle head.  The nose is sharp and hoppy and the flavor clean, crisp, and smooth.  At the risk of angering my punk friends, this is the beer you should drink at a punk show, not the domestic swill usually found in the hands of said moshing punkers!  :)

And speaking of punk, delicious, and refreshing, Victims Willing is the quintessential, Utah punk band.  Having influenced and shaped the punk music scene for 20+ years here in SLC, Victims Willing's "Old Bones and New Cadavers" is a combination of re-recorded classics and new material.  Like the Czech Pilsener's hop character, "Old Bones and New Cadavers" hits you right between the eyes from the opening notes of "I Unknown" through to the final note of "Time Bomb."  This is fast-paced, high-energy stuff here kids!  Every song makes you want to move!  But this isn't the simplistic, silly-ass (Greenday) punk you find on the airwaves nowadays... this is complex, thoughtful, and intense music with wonderful layers of emotion and passion.  My favorite track, "Lines and Borders" epitomizes the genius of singer and song writer, Brad Barker's brilliant lyrics.  Joe Jewkes' powerful, thumping bass lines drive the wonderful signature changes and blistering power of tracks like "Inches and Miles," "Powerhouse," and "Lost."  This is such good stuff... and with a Bohemian Brewery's Czech Pilsener in hand - your night is complete!  Oh, and the album cover art by Christopher Parry... fantastic!!  So do yourself a favor and get a copy of Victims Willing's "Old Bones and New Cadavers" and six-pack of Bohemian Brewery's Czech Pilsener and go crazy!!