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Is This A Test?

I think I'm starting to go crazy. I swear that I saw CLOWNS - Bad Blood on some year end lists for 2016..which makes no sense being that it was a Feb 2015 release. Maybe I saw their Destroy the Evidence single on a list and stumbled my way backwards. Or maybe because it was released in Europe in 2016...does it even matter?

Now that's out of the way. CLOWNS, amiright. This group of Melbourne punk rockers put out Bad Blood just about 2 years ago and I must say it is quite the enjoyable 38 minutes (11:21 being the final track). The singer goes from yelling to screaming with the odd guttural growl and/or screech, it can be quite manic..which in my books is fantastic. Overall they traverse the hardcore spectrum; melodic to street punk to straight forward HC. There's rock and roll present throughout the whole thing with just a dash of pop. The singer's range of delivery brings Pears to mind (but slightly less frantic). Every once in a while I get a real The (later era) Unseen vibe from these songs (but not as monotonous). I dig it. There's no liner notes/lyric sheet (at least in the This Charming Man Records pressing that I have) which is a minor bummer but ya know, who buys physical music anyway?

So...last week I finally got my hands on, and cracked open, a bag of Covered Bridge Sweet & Spicy Jalapeno Old Fashioned Kettle Cooked Potato Chips. I don't believe I've seen a bag of these in the store (definitely not in Manitoba) so I took it upon myself to order an assorted box (mostly containing S&S Jalap and Loaded Hot Dog) from (IMO) Canada's premier chip company. When one orders chips online you have to assume that expectations are moderately high (having that "Sweet" involved with Jalapeno definitely didn't hurt the intrigue either). Preamble, schmeamble right? GET TO THE CHIPS!!". Snatch, peel, sniff, kettle cooked chips, no discernible flavour scent. They looked like standard Covered Bridge chips; skins present with a good portion of well cooked chips. With my mouth watering I tossed one in. Initial reaction; the flavour is similar to Old Dutch Jalap and Cheddar (based on memory, I haven't had a bag of those in a minute). The heat is very enjoyable with the after-burn being present but not overwhelming. The seasoning is perfectly complimented by the flavour of the med-to-well done potato..chips. Every once in a while I got a faint sweetness peaking out from behind the curtain. Personally I don't find the seasoning to be all that groundbreaking, it's still very much within the Jalapeno spectrum that other companies also produce, what separates these chips apart from the crowd is the actual chip preparation/kettle cooking that Covered Bridge has mastered. I tip my hat to yet another strong bag of Covered Bridge goodness.

Stay hydrated,
Marc

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