Kevin Rettie 
Surprise! On Wednesday, May 24th Red Scare Industries announced they were going to release an acoustic EP from Red City Radio’s Garrett Dale. Two days later we had the gruff voiced Oklahoma native’s first solo release, Two T’s EP, in our grubby little digital hands. It also happened to be the man’s 30th birthday, which adds proof to my theory that there is some sort of punk rock illuminati that forces singers of bands to put out acoustic music when they hit a certain age. Or maybe this is the only thing we have left to spend our punk points on once we get disillusioned with the hypocrisy of the scene. Whatever.
At any rate, Garrett has given us three brand new acoustic tracks to sway and dance to as you’re holding tequila and whiskey shots while you’re post Pre-Fest partying at the Boneyard in Ybor City, FL. “2016 was Horseshit” comes off as light, fun, and upbeat with its sing along chorus, backing horns, and piano, but is actually one of the most cynical pieces of music criticizing the human race that I have ever heard in my entire life. I fucking love it. “Everybody tries/ Everybody Lies/ Because everybody kind of sucks deep down in their soul.” Put that on my god damn tombstone. Add the clever and sassy wordplay of “No one’s getting laid/ But everyone gets fucked every once in a while.” I fucking love this song.
“House Full of Dogs” is slightly slower and more in the vein of a what you probably picture as a ‘traditional punk goes acoustic’ song. It follows a downer/upper/downer style of verses flanked by the opening couple of lines, and while not as memorable or prone for sing alongs as the first track, it’s still a damn great song. The five and a half minute long last track, “Down the Rabbit Hole,” somehow fucking slows it down even further, kicking the sass to the curb in favor of more personal lyrics about love and loss. It’s slow. It’s sad. It’s a wonderful way to end an acoustic album.
Garrett’s voice really lends itself well to the acoustic style of music. He has never been this sharp and clear. I don’t know if you notice or not, but on Red City Radio recordings he can get a little slurry at times. This EP is a great start to the whole punk goes folk-ish trend, it’s just a real fucking bummer it is only three songs long. But quality over quantity. I guess. Whatever. Fuck you.
6 out of 7 buttoned-up buttons on a flannel shirt. The true sign of a folksy punk.
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