A real abrasive, guitar-heavy mid-tempo punk record. The title song, which they’ve borrowed from a newspaper headline, concerns a punk “riot” and has an amazingly cool Oriental-flavored guitar bridge. Real hot! The other cuts are more typical.
INCHARGE come forth with a powerful strength of bitter thrash mixed with an early raw punk sound. The songs are crude and hard-hitting, but lack a certain posture to keep them standing straight. The music is high-speed and the vocals are slow, which makes it all the more confusing. On the other hand, E.A.T.E.R. continues their banzai assault with songs in their own language (unlike their EP). Two of Sweden’s up-and-coming bands.
The first solo release from this great French band is somewhat uneven in quality. The title song is almost as tremendous as “No S.S.” from the Apocalypse compilation, and “Sympa les gros bras” approximates that extraordinary high standard for medium-tempo “skunk,” but the other two cuts are less memorable. Still, it’s another fine release from Chaos Productions.
Another French band with that English “skunk” sound. By that, I refer to the draping of soccer-style sing-alongs over a loud mid-tempo punk instrumental base. The title track and “Barcelone 1936″ are the best of the songs in that style; “Les Vauriens” is the sole fast cut, but it too has a chanting chorus. Good.
An enigma. The band is English, and all we know is that this EP was recorded in ’77 and has just now been released. It’s not half-bad either, sort of a cross between the early AVENGERS and X-RAY SPEX, with its catchy tunes and a female vocalist.
Musically, this debut is prime-sounding ’77 punk, well played and well produced. Lyrically, it would make Reagan blush with pride about the great job he’s done brainwashing today’s youth. They’ve got jingoistic lines like “I’m an American—I stand tall and I’m proud / I’m an American—and I’ll shout it out loud,” and unfortunately they’re not kidding. Duh! Maybe they’ll do everyone a favor and join the Marines.
