Kung Fu Records - Punk Rock Is Your Friend, Various Artists
Compilation CDs are still bread and butter for me in getting to hear new bands. I'm not one for trawling Pure Volume, I'm just too lazy. For that very reason, I lap up label samplers like a cat drinks milk. It's just a pity the latest Kung Fu sampler is a bit of a disappointment. With plenty of new or unreleased songs, you'd expect this to be better than it is. Sadly, in too many cases the songs are little better than b-sides or tracks that should have been left on the cutting room floor. This makes the label's sixth compilation a record that's worth discovering, but hardly essential.
All of the label's heavyweight bands are here. The Vandals continue their rapid downward slide with the god awful 'I Am Crushed', while Dance Hall Crashers, Tsunami Bomb, Circle Jerks, Useless ID and H20 make up the list of well known bands. On the whole though, some of these songs don't really sell the bands in the best of lights. DHC stand out like a sore thumb for being bloody brilliant, and the live 'Lost Again' is worth the budget price alone. But Tsunami Bomb's two tracks aren;t up to their usual standards, while Useless ID continue their average No Use For A Name impressions.
There are some good efforts here too though. Underminded are well worth checking out, and Vs The World, made up of ex-Ataris and Antifreeze members sound like a very promising prospect. 'If I Died' suggests the band could have a bright future ahead of them. The God Awfuls are as amazing as always, while Throwrag and Audio Karate are always worth listening to - but then you probably should be already aware of them. As samplers go, this is a good one but it seriously lacks a dozen or so great songs. Worth $6, but not really any more...
www.kungfurecords.com
Paul
