Dezerter

Reviews

Dezerter 1986 Co Będzie Jutro? LP

DEZERTER has roots in SS-20, a young punk band formed in 1981 in the Warsaw region, named after a then-made-illegal nuclear weapon, a very provocative name for their time. After several run-ins with censorship, they had to abandon the name and settle for DEZERTER because it was an ordeal just to get their name on a show. This time they went towards a hardcore punk sound with several influences ranging from post-punk and funk. In 1986 they had the opportunity to record songs for the Jak Punk to Punk compilation authorized by the censorship agency and, with the help of the sound engineer, they were able to secretly record the eight songs that are on 1986 Co Będzie Jutro?. Thrity-seven years later and still sounding great, DEZERTER provides a piece of punk history, and it was a big “fuck you” to the establishment and also the last recording by singer Scandal. Stories like this make this band legends.

Dezerter Underground Out of Poland LP reissue

Not exactly sure what can be (or even needs to be) said about a record that MRR released in 1987, which served as thousands of Western punks’ first exposure to DEZERTER and the larger Soviet Bloc punk underground. As a starting point, it’s still a near-perfect introduction— the four tracks from the Ku Przyszłości EP are absolutely timeless, and the live recordings from Jarocin (the first Polish festival to showcase punk bands) truly capture the band’s live mania (“Nie Ma Zagrożenia,” anyone?). Thirty-five years after its initial release, Underground Out of Poland is still mandatory listening for new punks and gets reissued every few years (as it should), but this one from Pasażer includes a massive booklet with photos and ephemera, so even the well-versed stodgy fucks who have the original will want to pay attention.

Dezerter Kłamstwo To Nowa Prawda LP

Another band survives the 40-year mark! Punk sure is getting old. Anyhow, what more is there to say about DEZERTER? Their “pandemic record” may not be anything particularly noteworthy among their extensive catalog, but it most certainly sounds like DEZERTER and can surely be considered relevant in contemporary punk. It is modernly polished but feels familiar, surprisingly fresh and youthful sounding for guys that must be well into their fifties. DEZERTER has experimented with their sound plenty over the decades but they’re sticking to an urgent and stripped-down approach with this one, which feels like a good place to be right now. Worth at least a listen for any level fan of the band.

Dezerter Nienawiść 100% 7″

While this might not be as raw, or pleasantly rough around the edges, as their earlier output, I don’t think I could live with myself if I didn’t say it was still passionate, punk as hell, and completely vital. Musically, it seems like a good mix of ’84 TSOL without all that reverb, some delay-heavy post-punk with a pinch of crust, topped off with some oddly-placed pop sensibilities. The lyrics, sung completely in Polish, are still totally anti-fascist, with a slight bend towards some dark-ass ambivalence. Sure, they aren’t the kings they once were back in 1981, but they have certainly aged really well. Despite my raised eyebrow over the fancier, modern rock production, this is a killer release from some goddamn stalwarts. Totally dig this.

Dezerter Jeszcze Żywy Człowiek cassette

This live recording documents DEZERTER at a 1984 rock festival in Jarocin, Poland before an audience of 20,000 (!) people. While the production doesn’t do justice to this first-rate outfit, the excitement comes through; 17 songs here, most of them very good, and a few really excellent.

Dezerter Ku Przyszłości EP

After hearing the fairly traditional ’77ish title track from this EP by a Polish punk band, I thought it might be more of a curio than a record I listened to a lot. But the other three songs turned out to be tight contemporary-sounding thrashers with memorable vocal parts, instrumental hooks, and one picky lead (in “Wojna glupcÁ³w”). DEZERTER easily holds their own against the better Western bands, so I strongly recommend looking for their releases.