Of the multitude of high-energy Celtic-influenced acts the East Coast has produced in the past five years, The Punters stand out. Not only do they greet crowds with a frantic act, they bravely combine a fine-tuned live act with strong vocals and flawless instrumental accompaniment.
With their third album, the newly released Will You Wait, the Punters have clearly taken a departure. Choosing a different path that their Newfoundland brothers Great Big Sea, The Punters desire a more mainstream path to success. Gone are Celtic influences spelled with a capital “C”, although they still exist, brilliantly at that. Will You Wait is pop-laden, similar to perhaps Spirit of the West’s later recordings: no screaming from the top of their lungs “I am a fiddlin’ pub band!” but a subtle whisper “ I can play both sides of the deck.”
Will You Wait is highly recommended, both to the fans of traditional Eastern beats and those seeking a “nice” album for a Sunday drive. This is a recording that can co-exist calmly on record shelves between the Barra MacNeils and the Waltons. One of the year’s stronger recordings.