Plutocracy CD
I asked a somebody, "How come Plutocracy ever broke up?" And he said, "You know, they're gangsta drug addicts." Regardless of how true that is they haven't slowed down with this reunion CD. It's just as heavy and brutal as they ever were and the lyrics don't pull any punches either. Songs about killing cops, doing PCP, and West Bay pride. Good samples and the hip hop intros are appropriate. It's almost too bad Max has changed his drugging ways because his drumming is key to Pluto and this is the best band he was ever in. Ripping sick grindcore and still recorded by Bart Thurber at the new House of Faith. (Six Weeks)

Moral Crux "The Side Effects of Thinking" CD
Moral Crux have been a good band for a long time and this CD proves it. Featuring 15 tracks recorded in 1988 and '89. These songs stand up better today than most of the punk that was put out in the late '80's. And they are still together! Combines the political lyrics and heart of '80s punk combined with the tunefulness of '90's punk. (Panic Button)

Those Unknown "Malice and Misfortune" CDep
Very thoughtful and intelligent lyrics, the best I've seen from an Oi band. WOW, this band is good. The singer can sing, the songs are well crafted, and the band can play really well. I¹m surprised I haven¹t heard more about them before this. (TKO)

One King Down "Gravity Wins Again" CD
Speaking of the crash boom bam and screaming of modern day hardcore, One King Down have it down. One of my favorite of the current hardcore bands, this is head banging stuff, but, unlike many of today's hardcore bands, it's NOT metal (despite what the promo sheet said). Hard, heavy, and sweaty. Great title too. (Equal Vision)

King Ernest "Blues Got Soul" CD
Fat Possum records has been putting out a lot of blues records and I really wasn't sure what to write about them until this one. The others pretty much had the old time blues sound down pat, and it was genuine. I couldn¹t pan them or write bad reviews. However, since I'm not really a blues guy I couldn't give them a good review either so I just passed on them. EXCEPT THIS ONE. This is pretty great stuff, it sticks to the minimalist blues sound, just the basic instruments. What puts this one over the top is the vocals. It sounds like old time soul. King Ernest recorded this at age 61, and it was only the second album in his life. The sad thing is he died, in an automobile accident on Highway 101, just five days after this album was completed. (Fat Possum)


Templars "Biaus Seignors Freres" CD
This is fucking great, but it¹s a collection of hard to find tracks that are actually worth digging up. It includes the title EP plus unreleased tracks recorded with bands from France (West Side Boys, sung in French), Italy (Asocilae, sung in Italian) and Las Vegas (Yesterday's Heroes). Plus five tracks from the"Oi This is Dynamite" compilation. This is lo-fi, but the songs are as good as skinhead music gets. Great catchy guitar and lyrics, no weak tracks. (TKO)

F.Y.P. "Toys That Kill" CD
Okay, I guess this one really is the last record by FYP, but they called it "Toys That Kill" because that¹s the name of the band that Todd and Sean (Two of the main FYP guys) will continue to play in now the FYP is over. There is a big booklet that comes with this that goes over the history of the band, but this is new material, not a retrospective disc. This has the distinctive FYP sound of the last few new releases, "Toys that Kill" is a good name because it does have a demented childishness about it. It's punk rock that doesn¹t get repetitive or boring. This may be the best record yet. I'd have to go back and compare the other ones to be sure, but every song on here is strong and no other band has this sound. (Recess)

The Queers "Beyond the Valley..." CD
(First off, I have to note that the drunk punk on the cover is wearing a Probe T-shirt.) With this release it looks like Joe Queer and his gang are taking a break from the bubblegum punk and they felt like getting short, quick, and angry instead. Probably just getting sick of being grouped together with the bubble gum rockers and reminding everybody that they are punk rockers with a chip on their shoulder. (Hopeless)

Hellchildren "Reskin" CD
This is the most impressive of the post-metal hardcore bands. These guys have everything going for them. Great vocals, guitar, heavy sound, and I thought the drums were amazing until someone mentioned "trigger effect" to me. They seem to have a few different things going on in each song, their is a layered effect to the way this is recorded. Guitars going over other guitars against the vocals and then you'll here a weird bass line going on underneath. The final effect though doesn¹t sound to off the wall unless you are really listening. (Howling Bull)


The Hives "Veni Vidi Vicious" CD
Pretty great record. It¹s reckless rock n¹rol, not over produced, with great crazy lyrics. The rhythm section is cool, but takes a back seat to the up front vocals. It has a lot of rock n'roll energy, much like the New Bomb Turks, they could be confused except for the lack of a bottom end. From Sweden. (Burning Heart/Epitaph)

Zero Boys "Vicious Circle" CD
Wow, this really is a classic punk record. This originally came out in 1982, before my time. I really didn¹t realize how good this was. A lot of bands must have covered these songs because many of them sound familiar. You hear an album like this and you have to believe everything you hear about the good ol' days because this still smokes and it more cool than the cool bands of today. The songs are fast, but there is a lot of melody and attitude. I wouldn¹t doubt this is on Panic Button because they were probably a big influence on Ben Weasel. This has two unreleased bonus tracks also. (Panic Button)

VA "Twelve Ounces of Courage" double 10in.
The third in the series of comps that is totally essential to any beer drinkin'punk. 26 more songs about drinkin¹. Bands include The Bar Feeders, Lexingtons, Boozers, Strychnine, Whiskey Sunday, Hot Water Music, Randumbs, Lopez, Lizards, Pony Stable, Dolomites, Cropduster, Ding Dang, and Yukan Jackass. The D (Drunk Driving) side is my surprise favorite as all the bands have a country style and some really good songs. (Very Small Records)

Cry Baby Cry six song CD
For obvious reasons I didn¹t think I was going to like this one, but it starts out with a rockin¹ beat and spastic male vocals joined by more solid female vocals. It did slow down on a few songs, a little closer to the emo indie pop I expected, but overall this is a good release. They aren't out just to copy a sound or fit a genre. They twist it up a bit. (www.crybabycry.com)


Doomsday Device "Family Pride" CD
This is some killer shit. I didn't expect much when I popped it in, but what these guys do is combine a menacing attitude, fast drums, huge bass, and raw sound with big fat chunky hardcore riffs. It¹s powerful and AGRO stuff. Fucking perfect to blow away an early morning hangover. (Industrial Strength Records)


Demons "..Come Bursting Out" CDep
There are a lot of rock n'roll bands coming out of Scandinavia in the wake of Gluecifer and the Helacopters. The Demons are one of the few who don¹t sound like an imitation. They kick rock n' roll, but with out any name dropping necessary. This is quick, hard, shaking, and fierce rock n' roll that won¹t disappoint you. (Gearhead)

Lopez/ Fireballs of Freedom 7in.
Lopez are always great, they have a lot of 7"s out on small labels that you will never find, but see them live and buy them at the slow. Fireballs of Freedom is hit or miss with me and this song is a hit, one of there better tracks. (Dirtnap)

Judgment "Just Be.." CD foursong
Wow, this kicks ass and caught me by surprise. The band photo makes them look like a retro rock n¹ roll band, but the sound is really tough and about as fast as you can play rock n' roll with out calling it hardcore or metal. The vocals are gruff on the first two songs and then they sing clean on the third song accompanied by 100 mile and hour guitar riffs. Just as the song is building a lot of momentum, it ends. Then the next song picks it up a notch. This is great stuff. (H.G. Fact)

The Don't Cares 7in.
Surprise Hit!! Didn¹t expect much with the generic retro rock band name, but this band turns it up a few extra notches with some kick ass burnin¹ smokin¹ hot fast punk fuckin¹ ROCK attitude!! Three songs, no losers. (Dirtnap Records)

The Bodies "Addicted to You" six song CD
I don¹t know what makes a song a good song, but The Bodies seem to have it figured out. This is very basic and simple punk rock, but they just write good fun songs. I play this often. This is from the demo they did before their first full length. Great record for drinking beer. (Radio Records)

Black cat Music "The Only Thing We¹ll Ever Be is All Alone" CD
This CD is much better than the last one. The music actually kind of "swings". They have a new style they are honing and it's coming through a little better now. They don't play traditional rock n roll, but the songs still move, they don't let them get dull. The album title may be long and dumb, but the lyrics are good. They music isn¹t raw, but it can get loud. They have style, but don¹t come off as pretentious. Good band. (Cheetah's Records)

New Bomb Turks "Nightmare Scenario" CD
Despite anything I may say in this review the New Bomb Turks are still the best band in rock n¹ roll. Interestingly, what I learned from this new record is how excellent their last record. "At Rope's End" is. The reason is because I went back to listen to that one to compare the new drummer with Bill. I always got off on Bill's simple, but rapid fire drum fills (especially noticeable on their 2nd full length which I now notice is missing from my CD collection along with Drunk On Cock, MOTHERFUCKER I have to buy them again.) Anyway, I was worried the new guy (a friend from Gaunt I think) had a different style that would change the style of the band, but it's not him. This new CD has some great rapid fire songs such as "Continental Cats" that he pulls off with no problem. This new one also has songs such as "Your Beaten Heart" that is slow, but great. My one complaint is with songs like "the Roof" and "Wine & Depression" that are fast paced rock n'roll in Turks style, but they don't kick them out at maximum speed. For any other band they would be kicking ass, but with the Turks the songs sound laid back and relaxed. On the early albums they always sounded as if they were pouring every ounce of energy they had to play every single song as balls out as possible. With "At Ropes End" they didn't do that so I only listened to it about 20 times, compared to the 400 or so times I played their first record. "Destroy Oi Boy". However, now that I go back and listen to it, I have to say every single song on "Ropes End" is just about flawless, it's a classic. This new one is also no disappointment. Go see these guys live while they are still young. On a final note, I remember, years ago, getting into an argument with Greg Lowry about the New Bomb Turks, who I said were better than Teengenerate and The Rip-Offs. He said the Turks weren't rock n' roll, they were a hardcore band and they sucked. I was furious. Then his next two bands after the Rip-Offs seemed to be modeled after the New Bomb Turks more aggressive rock n' roll style and I knew it had been Greg's jealousy talkin'. Now, a friend in Vegas told me he had been bowling with Bill (ex-NBT drummer) and Greg. I wouldn¹t be surprised if Mr. Lowry is recruiting him for his next band, or wanting to sign any band Bill hooks up with. (Epitaph)