The New Trust & Friends: Battle To The Death

I fell hard for The New Trust the only time I ever saw them live. I know definitively that it was at the Leonard St. Knit in the Main Room, but for the life of me I can't remember who they were opening for. I'm thinking a No Idea band, or maybe Alkaline Trio, either way TNT brought it. I expect the late gent from The Velvet Teen was with them at that point, as it was behind the We Are Fast Moving Motherfuckers EP. The interweb tells me that makes it 2004, and to the best of my knowledge they've not been out East since. It's been a bit since their last full-length Get Vulnerable, as well, now that you mention it. It doesn't look like we're going to see them or a new band record soon, but in the interim the good folk of TNT Enterprises have been kind enough to afford us The New Trust & Friends: Battle To The Death.

Much like the band that spawned it, The New Trust & Friends is many things: a little over half TNT songs done acoustically, some of which are new (five), the rest revisitations of older material. In that vein, the closing eight comprise said Battle-ing Friends, each of whom reinterpret a New Trust favorite.

Sadly, it's not often for the better. Things kick off in positive fashion with Oddbird and their take on Fast Asleep In Her Arms, but things head decidedly southward til Judah from The Velvet Teen scores in the closing moments. I think its mostly due to singer/bassist Josh Staples and his idiosyncratic voice (both in singing and songwriting) that they pale in comparison to the originals. I can't see the covers getting a lot of future play, but it is certainly good to hear that The New Trust are still an active franchise. Here's hoping that means touring soon.

Get The New Trust & Friends: Battle To The Death here at The New Trust bandcamp presence.

Lovers of tangibility can defer here and procure from Saint Rose Records.

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