Local punk group mixes fun, poignant messaging

By ROB DUGUAY
Posted 2/5/25

Watch the news on television, and you’re bound to see something that’s alarming to the senses within the first five minutes. Surfing the internet can be even worse with the amount of …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

E-mail
Password
Log in

Local punk group mixes fun, poignant messaging

Posted

Watch the news on television, and you’re bound to see something that’s alarming to the senses within the first five minutes. Surfing the internet can be even worse with the amount of disinformation. Amid these stressful time, Providence punks The War In Kids released their “Tilting at Windmills” EP on January 20.

Guitarist and vocalist Kevin Silva, drummer Christian Staton and bassist John Staton as the creative core, the band enlisted a few friends to round out the structures and arrangements.

There’s a bit of reflection along with commentary on various aspects of the human condition in the 2020s. There’s also some hip hop and spoken word elements being incorporated, which is rare to see from a local punk band.

“Super happy to work on this one with the fellas, including our buddy Jarrod Pimentel, who really added a totally different layer on this EP [on guitar],” Silva said. “Having contributions from stellar talent via the likes of Jesse the Tree and Bianca Gouveia from Yonks, and one of my best buds from the comedy world, Alan Sousa, this really was a fun EP to work on. This was in large part to the sweetest and most radical producer, Andrew ‘The Portuguese Tom Cruise’ Lima. The messaging of the album is an old man in crisis, coming both from personal and social realities. Similar to the old man in ‘Don Quixote’, it seems like a lot of well-intentioned people, these days, are attacking imaginary enemies.”

“Sad and hurtful times, for sure,” he adds. “I just hope our silly art can bring some morsel of joy to a world that seems to be quickly becoming very dark and somber. Without hope, all is lost.”

The War In Kids already have plans for the next EP.

“There’s a line on the EP that says, ‘The Devil is right here at home’, which is so true,” said Staton. “Kevin wrote all of the lyrics and the social messaging is something that our band stands for. Musically, the new songs are really fun to play and Andrew is a saint for helping us put everything together. Now it’s time to start writing the next one.”

That hip hop element is courtesy of Jesse the Tree in “Stone Swallow”, which also incorporates that reflective vibe as well. “Something Special” has Gouveia trading vocal duties with Silva, while “Anxiety Sucks” has Sousa reciting a poem that goes into a fully amplified tune. “Simple Jack” and the title track fill out the remainder of the EP, and to give it a listen, look it up on Spotify. It’s a great punk record that doesn’t take itself too seriously while relaying a seriously uplifting message. 

Comments

No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here