Scrap Records - The Scrap Records Compilation, Various Artists
There’s a reason why punk compilations like this one are always cheap, they’re generally not very good, but it’s likely that there will be at least a couple of songs that lead you onto new and exciting bands, and this rule applies to this release. Described as “22 top punk bands that are all up and running units, gigging and releasing music around the world”. “Top punk bands”… I don’t know, I’d heard of two of the bands before, but the second statement is very much true. There are bands on this release from as far a field as Chile (2X) and New Zealand (Missing Teeth). The picture on the front cover is fairly shocking, with a seal being held down with a gun to its head. With no sign of any animal rights movements, this seems to be a shocking picture to fit the stereotype of Punk as shocking. The music however, is pretty much what you’d expect.
There’s plenty of pub punk rock old men bands (2000DS, Flanal), dodgy Dubby Ska (Headjam), female fronted bands (Criminal of Evolution, Manic Cough) and grungey pop-punk (Seven Words, K-Line). Duel’s ‘Teenage Star’ wins points for standing out, coming across as a mix between Blondie and (a slightly tamer) The Prodigy. The best songs on this release are opener ‘Complex Simplicity’ by Far Out Fishing from Norway, sounding like The Beatsteaks in their rock and roll’y- hardcore moments; ‘War’ by Inner Terrestrials, a seemingly heard-it-before crusty punk ska song that reveals a powerful call-to-arms message on repeated listens. CD closer ‘No Los Podras Sostener’ by the previously mentioned ‘2X’ is a mighty metalcore punch in the face that finishes off the CD in fine style. It’s just a shame about the mediocre tracks in between.
There is a feeling here that the British bands really let the CD down, with the best songs coming from the most unexpected places. But overall, this is a compilation CD, so you should know what to expect. Some good songs, a lot of average songs, and a few pretty terrible songs.
http://www.scraprecords.com
Ben Gosling
