Member Since: 2/4/2007
Band Website: anticivrecords.com
Band Members: Joseph R. Downing - Guitars/Vocals
Kris Schoen - Drums/Percussion
Samuel Taphouse - Bass
Kai Stenlund - Mandolin/Vocals
Influences: john downing
tom waits
phil elvrum
northern minnesota
Sounds Like: I saw Captain Clawthroat and Crooked Teeth (St. Paul, MN) by accident after trying to catch Corporate Thunder at Thirsty Pagan Brewery (TPB) in Superior Wi. The lead singer had a jet black mullet and a well grown mustache.
The Lineup is as follows: Joseph R Downing: Acoustic Guitar & Voice Samuel Taphouse: Double & Electric Bass Kris Schoen: Drums & Percussion
When I saw Joseph get on stage (in front of a more than excited looking drummer and a the strangely subdued bass player( with just an acoustic guitar and that mustache I was expecting some disgustingly loud, shrill, and perhaps out of tune attempt at acoustic punk.
What followed was 25 minutes of blissfully raw and exceptionally true cow-punk:
Joseph somehow sang some of the catchiest and most exciting country tinged punk I've heard live, his lyrics somehow making over the sound of Kris Schoen hitting his crash symbol with a rattling tin can shaker and excessively loud snare hits.
I've seen dozens of rock bands at TPB that don't know how to play to the mean cavernous sounds that make their way from the guitar amps to the listener's ears. The impressive thing about Captain Clawthroat isn't that they played well (tonally and physically) to the room, it's that they didn't even look like they were trying. I didn't have to struggle to listen either.
Cow-punk magic. Check them out, and please do so at the smokiest dirtiest place you can find…let them feed you. Let the booze inebriate you. Let your pussy- folk leanings be intercepted perfectly by your punk rock youth. Enjoy.
Written by Dave Mehling, Duluth, MN http://davemehling.blogspot.com
Record Label: ANTI-CIV RECORDS
Type of Label: Indie