I don’t know whether I’ve just have a bad reviewing run, but I’ve found it really difficult to be enthused by some of the CDs I’ve had to endure for PT recently. While The Lucky Stiffs don’t fall into the Godawful territory the last couple of reviews fell into, the band’s raw punk sound comes across as tired and predictable. And where I’d probably lap up something energetic, enthusiastic and full of life, ‘Gold In Peace, Iron In War’ is just more of the same old-skool punk influenced material. I could list the Clash, Sham 69, the Dead Boys, the Circle Jerks, and Stiff Little Fingers as influences. maybe even through in a little Rancid too. You get the picture.
While this isn’t a bad record, it’s just uninspiring and a little too obvious. And when I’m crying out for something exciting and fun, sadly anything even remotely average just isn’t going to sit right.