I am going to try and be objective with this one, but its going to be difficult because I already had the pleasure of playing with these boys in London. Plus I then got an angry message the next day from one of the members telling me I was classist and they didn't like my set because I had given the impression I disliked the upper classes. But, well, everyone is entitled to their own opinion and all that crap....
This band, when you watch them live, are a throw back to those heady days when skacore ruled the world. I'm going to try and avoid the lazy Capdown comparisons, so think more Link 80, Once Over and maybe envisage this kind of easier-listening skacore being played by a group of semi naked young men.
In fact, this painfully short CD is a bit more delicate than I expected from watching them live. There is plenty of Streetlight Manifesto style brasswork and even a nod to Bad Manners in there in the breakdowns. There isn't much on offer, because I only have two full tracks and a few seconds worth of a third to go on, but it sounds to me like FBATS are trying to bring a new sense of depth to the genre (which is probably why they wisely abbreviated their name from its original incarnation, Frank Butcher and the Slags.)
Sadly, there just isn't enough to listen to with this sampler, but if the band can transmit some of the energy they have onstage onto their records, they will be doing a lot more before too long.
The good name of Frank Butcher will be doing the rounds, I'm sure of that....
Mike.
