Review / 200 Words Or Less
Captain, We're Sinking
...With Joe Riley

Evil Weevil (2011) Matthew Cebreros

Captain, We're Sinking – ...With Joe Riley cover artwork
Captain, We're Sinking – ...With Joe Riley — Evil Weevil, 2011

Captain, We're Sinking don't reinvent the wheel with their new 7" release. They aren't pushing any boundaries. Hell, they essentially rip-off The Lawrence Arms with no shame. But I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy every second of it.

With Joe Riley provides three tracks of incredibly catchy and well-done melodic punk. "The Ballad of Ichabond Crane" starts things off right with a riff that will be stuck in your head for hours. After just a few listens, I found myself singing along to every word. The hooks are infectious, and the vocals suite the music very well. "Manners Are Their Own Reward, Gentleman" is more abrasive and less catchy than the opener, but still a blast. "Foster Brothers" reinforces the comparison to The Lawrence Arms with lines like "I'm drowning in the smell of alcohol, burning paper and nicotine", but the song is so well-done that I found myself not caring that I was essentially listening to Lawrence Arms Jr.

It clocks in at just over 6 and a half minutes; just long enough to grab your attention and show you a good time. Pick this up just in time for spring, roll down your windows, and enjoy.

Captain, We're Sinking – ...With Joe Riley cover artwork
Captain, We're Sinking – ...With Joe Riley — Evil Weevil, 2011

Related features

Signals Midwest / Captain, We're Sinking

Interviews / Fest 13 • November 12, 2014

Related news

Run for Cover Records adds Captain, We're Sinking

Posted in Labels on October 15, 2012

Recently-posted album reviews

Imploders

Targeted For Termination
Neon Taste Records, Static Shock Records (2025)

Back in or around 2007 my buddy Jake invited me to a show, I’m not even sure he told me who was playing or if he did I hadn’t heard of them yet anyway. Turns out it was Toronto’s Career Suicide who were on tour with Regulations from Sweden. Both bands fucking ripped and I still remember being pretty blown … Read more

Imperial Domain

Portentum
Wormhole Death (2025)

Formed in 1995, Imperial Domain cut their teeth in the Swedish death metal underground with early demos before dropping In the Ashes of the Fallen (1998) and The Ordeal (2003). After the 2014 death of original vocalist, Tobias Heideman, Imperial Domain could’ve folded into the past like so many of their era. Instead, they came back swinging. The band returned … Read more

Chairmaker

Leviathan Carcass
Independent (2025)

There are some musicians that come along and can literally play every instrument and do it well. Such is the case for the grindcore brainchild behind Chairmaker, Neil Erskine. He drops his self-released, debut album titled “Leviathan Carcass” on November 14th. Fueled by the perils of the late capitalist society we inhabit, Neil has been able to craft a fierce … Read more