Smash the States, Various Artists
If you’re looking to check out new punk bands of the street, gutter and wind spitting variety then I suggest you look no further than this 35 track compilation put together by Suicide Watch Records to showcase the finest in punk from the Southern States of America. This certainly isn’t the type of comp you will be giving to a naïve 16year old and expecting them to enjoy though. But it is refreshing to know for all the Good Charlottes and Simple Plans of this world, there are many other bands still plying a trade in punk rock from the remnants of Minor Threat, Dead Kennedy’s and The Clash etc. While it is difficult to distinguish too much between the gargantuan amount of tracks on show, there are certain bands that manage to raise their heads above the tide and make a name for themselves. The first is the female fronted ‘Hungry Ghost’ who make a fair impression while the far more abrasive ‘Obgyn’ are the first to spit in the face of others on the comp. The highlight of the comp is undoubtedly the ‘New Mexican Disaster Squad’ though. Unbeknownst to myself as I listened to this for the first time, ‘Tax Return’ stuck out like a sore thumb with its undeniable quality so it wasn’t a surprise to see a familiar name when I checked the sleeve. Other highlights are the in your face ‘Hairball’ while the fantastically named ‘Flamin Anus’ add a gritty pop edge to proceedings. ‘Done Deal’ suffer from a poor recording but still impress, while a welcome break from the hardcore can be found towards the end of the comp with ‘Manband’.
But while it is a good advert for certain bands, it doesn’t offer anything promising for others. Many suffer from poor quality sound recording and as much as you try to appreciate the music being played, it does it no favors. But negatives like this are outweighed by the positive attitude of it all and you can’t help but admire the people who have put the comp together. It almost makes you want to find the woodglue and buy a studded jacket…
Jay
www.suicidewatchrecords.com
   » Want to review this record? Click here to leave your comments | Posted by Jay 9:41PM, 8th June 2005 697 Views |
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