Reviews Issue #2 The Beltones "Cheap Trinkets" TKO Records http://www.tkorecords.com Finally a new full length from one of my FAVORITE bands! The Beltones play hard-edged rock and roll with just the right amount of punk thrown in for good measure. This album is the follow up to their 1998 release "On Deaf Ears," which I strongly recommend. It's hard to pick a favorite on this record, but some of the notables are "Set 'Em Up Stevie," "Better Than A Kick In The Head," "The Thief," and an awesome cover of the Bob Marley classic "Concrete Jungle." 13 tracks in all, every one a classic! If you ever get the chance to see these guys play live I urge you to do so. Now rush right out and buy yourself a copy, and if you can find it, pick up "On Deaf Ears" while you're at it! EXCELLENT! (ch) The Roustabouts "The Only One" Haunted Town Records http://www.hauntedtownrecords.com The long awaited full-length album from local heroes The Roustabouts has finally hit the streets! If you haven't heard these guys yet, you have either been living under a rock for the past three years, or you are just extremely unlucky. Personal favoritism aside, this record ROCKS! It is nice to finally hear a good recording from the boys, however, I have to admit I like their live sound better. 12 tracks total, some new some older. My personal favorites are "Heart Is Gone," "We Believe," "Dead Generation," "Fall Into Line," and "Center Of The City." The Roustaboys are currently finishing up the last leg of their tour, and will be playing The Beer Olympics in Atlanta before returning home. This record can be obtained directly from Haunted Town Records, or at any one of their live shows. These Okies get better every time I see them, and their onstage energy is second to none. They tour frequently, so get out and see them when they roll through your town! (ch)
The Tossers "Long Dim Road" Thick Records http://www.thickrecords.com The latest offering from Chicago's "Celtic Punk" greats brings us 11 tracks of truly excellent Irish/Celtic folk punk. These guys have some of the most thought provoking lyrics I have heard in years. Twisted tales of oppression, greed, injustice, and pain. From fast paced tracks like "Mad Riot," to the mellow and heartfelt rambling of "Wedding," The Tossers do it all, and they do it VERY well! Extremely talented musicians and brilliant lyricists, make for great songs. A must have for fans of Flogging Molly, The Pogues, Clancy Brothers, and The Skels. My favorite track is "The Ballad Of N.A.T.O." The lyrics on this song are amazing. Lots of strong material on this album. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! (ch)
Earth A.D. "Let's Have A Barbeque" Evil Owl Records http://www.evilowlrecords.com
After seeing Earth A.D. play live a few times, and enjoying their set thoroughly, I finally got my hands on a copy of their CD. Hailing from Enid Oklahoma, Earth A.D. play a fast paced metallic punk rock, with gritty vocals and some awesome drum work. Their overall sound is somewhat like a hybrid of The Misfits meets Motorhead. Overall this is a good album, with good sound quality. Only eight songs on this release. Some of my faves are "Devil Hate Bitch," "Faces of Evil," and "The Circle." I really like the mean ass sounding vocals, and the music is definitely fast and furious. They will soon be embarking on a lengthy tour, so check them out if you get the chance. Anyone that likes old school fast punk, with a hint of metal should definitely check this out! (ch)
Blood For Blood "Outlaw Anthems" Victory Records http://www.victoryrecords.com
Boston's Hardcore legends Blood For Blood are back with their first full-length album in quite some time. Outlaw Anthems is their hardest hitting album to date. I've been a fan of this band for a long time, and they have yet to disappoint me. Their music is pure hardcore. Hard, heavy, and pissed off. This latest release has 11 tracks of angry, emotional, in your face, foot-stomping goodness! Highlights are "Ain't Like You," "White Trash Anthem," "Some Kind Of Hate," and a brutal cover of The Bruisers' track "Bloodshed." I HIGHLY recommend this album, as well as everything else these Boston boys have put out. Rumor has it they may have a tour in the works, so be sure to check out their AMAZING live show. (ch)
Hatebreed "Perseverance" Victory Records http://www.victoryrecords.com Hatebreed's second release on Victory Records is their best to date. Perseverance has a bit different sound than their earlier releases, but I think they have finally found their niche. From start to finish, this is one of the best hardcore albums of the year. Hatebreed has been touring pretty much non-stop since last year’s release "Satisfaction Is The Death Of Desire." They have also gained a strong following over the past two years by being one of the hottest young bands on the OzzFest tour. Perseverance features 16 scorching tracks. Some of my favorites are "Perseverance," "I Will Be Heard," and "Proven". Also look out for the video for "I Will Be Heard," which has made a few appearances on MTV and M2. I had the pleasure of seeing them play live earlier this year in Tulsa, and it was definitely one of the best shows I have seen to date. Anyone that's into Hardcore should check out this record! (ch)
The Donnas - Turn 21 Lookout Records The Donnas break loose with their fourth album Turn 21. Picking up where 1999's Get Skintight left off, The Donnas pound out 14 tracks of glam punk pleasure (imagine The Ramones and Ratt having a kid). Don't miss the instant classics "Drivin' Through My Heart," "Little Boy," and the killer cover of Judas Priest's "Living After Midnight." (db)
Down By Law - Punkrockdays: The Best of Down By Law Epitaph Down By Law made a name for themselves during the punk rock explosion of 1994-96 with their CD’s Punkrockacademyfightsong and All Scratched Up! (the band’s third and fourth full length respectedly). Then in 1997 they released Last of the Sharpshooters, which would be their last new release for Epitaph (1999’s Fly the Flag was released on Go Kart Records). After 10 years of recording and touring, DBL decided it was time to release a “Best of…” CD and turned to their fans for the song selection (via an online poll at the band’s web site www.downbylaw.com). The majority of the songs on Punkrockdays are from Punkrockacademyfightsong, All Scratched Up!, and Last of the Sharpshooters, and include the classics “All American,” “Bright Green Globe,” “No Equalizer,” and my personal favorite “1944.” DBL seem to one of those forgotten bands that for whatever reason people lose track of (well…that’s what happened to me anyway), and this CD is a reminder of just how good this band is. Lead singer Dave Smalley has been an influential and important part of the punk scene since the early 1980’s. His resume includes time in DYS, Dag Nasty, and ALL. If you are new to the band, try to picture the three previously mentioned bands having a kid and you would basically have DBL. This is a great starting place for anyone new to the band. (db)
Fabulous Disaster - Put Out or Get Out
Pink & Black Records
Fabulous Disaster play straight up, snot nosed, punk rock. Probably most often compared to The Donnas, but they remind me more of The Muffs or Tilt. (db)
Lars Frederiksen & The Bastards - s/t
Hellcat Records
Rancid guitarist extraordinare Lars Frederiksen steps outside is usual music playground to sing songs about growing up in Campbell, CA. This CD is pretty much what you'd expect from Lars, traditional punk rock, with hints of oi, hardcore, and rock 'n' roll. This CD includes a great cover of Billy Bragg's "To Have and To Have Not," along with the amazingly catchy originals "Six Foot Five" and "Skunx". (db)
Hayseed Dixie – A Hillbilly Tribute to Mountain Love
Dualtone Last year when I stumbled on Hayseed Dixie’s first CD, A Hillbilly Tribute to AC/DC, I thought I had died and gone to heaven. You talk about two great tastes that taste great together…how could one go wrong with bluegrass AC/DC?!? Well for their follow up CD, HD put together a collection of songs that pay tribute to love, mountain style. Included in this amazing collection are bluegrass renditions of Bad Company’s “Feel Like Making Love,” Ted Nugent’s “Cat Scratch Fever,” Queen’s “Fat Bottom Girls,” and Spinal Tap’s “Big Bottom,” along with two originals (my favorite being “I’m Keeping Your Poop”). Once again Hayseed Dixie delivers an extremely fun CD. These guys are kind of like the Me First & the Gimme Gimmes of bluegrass.(DB) Man or Astro-Man? Beyond the Black Hole Estrus This is a reissue of What Remains Inside a Black Hole. The songs have been re-mastered, repackaged, and rearranged (with a few tracks that were on What Remains… not appearing on Beyond…). This CD is classic Man or Astro-Man?, the way they were meant to be. The songs are surfy, sci-fi, and wonderful. Now here’s to hoping that they next CD is more like this and not 2000’s Spectrum of Infinite Scale. (db) The Mighty Mighty Bosstones – A Jackknife to a Swan
Side One Dummy
The Mighty Mighty Bosstones return with their seventh studio album, A Jackknife to a Swan. A Jackknife… also marks the Boston ska-punk pioneers return to an independent record label, Side One Dummy (the Bosstones’ first two CDs, Devil’s Night Out and More Noise and Other Disturbances were release on Taang! Records). With such a build up for this record, the Bosstones deliver…somewhat. The CD isn’t bad, but it’s not great either. The Bosstones, to me, at one time embodied everything that was good and right about punk rock and underground music—high energy music, positive and enlightening lyrics, and a blistering live show where everyone got along (they played OKC on the Question the Answers tour, in 1994 or ’95, at the now-defunct and often-name-changed Roxy, and it was one of the best shows I had ever seen/experienced). They had picked up the torch that bands like Minor Threat and 7 Seconds had carried during that 1980s, but then something happened…ska became a craze and the Bosstones jumped on board. The sad thing about the ska explosion was that there were all of these bands basically trying to be like the Bosstones (along with Fishbone and Voodoo Glow Skulls for that matter), mixing ska and punk, but almost all paled in comparison. So in 1997, the Bosstones got their hit with “The Impression that I Get” from Let’s Face It, and for one fleeting moment they were rock stars. Now nearly five years, three CDs, and two record labels later, enter A Jackknife to a Swan. This CD is 13 tracks of ska-punk that is played very well, but lacks the energy of the Bosstones earlier work. Overall it’s not a bad record, it is just missing something. (db)
Nekromantix - Return Of The Loving Dead Hellca Nekromantix return with their wicked brand of coffin bass psychobilly. Thanks to the Give ‘Em the Boot III compilation, a lot of kids have been turned on to Nekromantix and psychobilly in general. In the tradition of The Meteors, Nekromantix play full tilt, take-no-prisoners rockabilly mixed with hints of punk, metal, and lots of horror-laden lyrics. Good stuff. (db) Rancid - Rancid Hellcat Records After two years of touring and resting, Rancid returns with their fifth album, simply titled Rancid, and their first official release for Tim Armstrong’s Hellcat Records. This CD is reminiscent of the band’s first two releases (1993’s Rancid and 1994’s Let’s Go), while still holding true to the maturity gained on 1995’s And Out Come the Wolves… and 1998’s Life Won’t Wait. This CD is backed with 22 punk rock speeding bullets (the loud and fast rule definitely applies here), while still holding on to what has always made Rancid great… catchy tunes (“It’s Quite Alright” and “Let Me Go” are instant classics). While this CD is not as good as the afore mentioned Life Won’t Wait or And Out Come the Wolves…it is still an enjoyable ride, but does take two or three listens to get into. Now comes my only real complaint… the title. As a general rule, I hate when bands release a self-titled album for anything other than their first CD. Now that having been said, I really hate it when a band releases a self-titled album after having already released a self-titled album! The are plenty of songs on this CD that would have made fine album titles (on lines from those said songs), but instead the band opted to give their new CD the same name as their first CD. Maybe there is a reason behind the title for the CD (most notably the fact that guitarist Lars Fredericksen did not play on their first record), but you never know. This is an enjoyable CD and a excellent addition to any punk rock library. (db)
Reverend Horton Heat - Lucky 7 Artemis he good Reverend returns with a pure blast of stripped down psychobilly/punk/surf madness and does not disappoint. Lucky 7 takes a step back to the Rev’s heyday and basically picks up where Liquor in the Front left off. With classics like “Galaxy 500,”“Suicide Doors,” and “Like a Rocket, Lucky 7 reestablishes the Reverend as rock ‘n’ roll monster. (db) River City Rebels - Playin'; to Live, Livin' to Play Victory The River City Rebels play punk rock mixed with Oi, ska, soul, and traditional rock ‘n’ roll, complete with a horn section, two guitars, and a rocking’ rhythm section. RCR pack together working class lyrics with catchy hooks and sing-a-long choruses that won’t disappoint, with songs like “Small Town Pride” and “Gotta Get It” that chronicle life in small town USA. This CD rocks and is a must. (db)
7 Seconds – Scream Real Loud Side One Dummy Records Punk rock legends 7 Seconds return with their second live record Scream Real Loud. After returning to their hardcore roots in 1999 with Good To Go, Kevin, Troy, Steve, and Bobby decided to capture the band live and recorded a show in L.A. that covered the gambit of their 20 year career. The album includes classics from The Crew and Walk Together, Rock Together as well as newer material from Good To Go and The Music, The Message, along with their timeless renditions of Sham 69’s “If the Kids are United” and Nena’s “99 Red Balloons” (arguably the song they are known best for). My favorite track is “Satyagraha” from 1987’s Soulforce Revolution. This is a great CD, especially for fans of 7 Seconds, I only wish all of their albums had been represented on this CD (New Wind, Ourselves, and Out the Shizzy were all left out of this collection). (db)
The Templars- Horns of Hattin
GMM Records
The Templars return with their traditional brand of skinhead oi. Horns of Hattin is one of The Templars’ best releases to date (my favorite is the Clockwork Orange Horrorshow EP). Songs like “Breakdown,” “Shift the Blame,” and “Enemies” showcase this band’s ability to put together catchy oi tunes that make you want to dance, while “Consequences” seamlessly blends acoustic folk into an oi stomper. This is definitely the right direction for the ever improving, ever expanding band.   (db)
Tiger Army - The Power of Moonlight
Hellcat
Tiger Army mixes powerfully moody psychobilly music with poetic and haunting Edgar Allen Poe-esque lyrics. The end result is a completely unique sound. (db)
V/A Atticus…Dragging the Lake
Side One Dummy
This is a 24-song compilation put out by Blink 182’s clothing label Atticus and Side One Dummy. Bands on this CD include Alkaline Trio, New Found Glory, Agent 51, and Blink 182 to just name a few. I’m sure the kids really like this CD, but I don’t. I’m not a fan of Blink 182 or emo (a majority of the bands on this comp are emo bands), so there is not much here for me. It’s only $6, so that is a plus. (db) V/A – Cheap Shots and Low Blows TKO Records Cheap Shots and Low Blows is a chronicle and testament to the early days of TKO Records.   This CD is a collection of the early 7-inch records the label released in 1997-98. The CD opens with TKO’s first release, One Man Army’s classic Bootlegger’s Son 7-inch, which includes “Another Dead End Story” and “Never Call it Quits,” which were later released on the band’s CD Dead End Stories and “Bootlegger’s Son” later released on the Last Word Spoken CD. We are then ripped into The Forgotten’s Class Separation 7-inch, and from there taken through the Workin’ Stiffs, Lower Class Brats, and the Anti-Heros/Dropkick Murphy’s split (the last release for original lead singer Mike McColgan). The best moments on this CD are the four songs by The Bodies, along with the Dead End Cruisers’ “Friday Night” and The Truents’ “Don’t Look Back”. Most, if not all, of these records are out of print, so this CD is a must for fans of these bands and this label (especially for those of us who had these records and then sold them in moments of poorness).(db) V/A – Rocked ‘N’ Loaded
Rock ‘N’ Roll Purgatory
     This 25 song, 22-band comp from the nice folks at Rock ‘N’ Purgatory Magazine will rock your socks off! Rocked ‘N’ Loaded is 72 minutes worth of psychobilly, punk, and surf tunes that will leave you wanting more. Included here in are track from local heroes The Roustabouts, Eight Ball Grifter, Rocket 350, The GC5, Lords of the Highway, Hudson Falcons, Grave Danger, and the Brassknuckle Boys just to name a few. The stand out moments to me is the two unreleased songs by the now defunct Staggers. This is a fantastic CD. (db)
V/A – Spirit of the Streets Burning Heart Records Spirit of the Streets is a look into the music often referred to as street rock/street punk. For those unfamiliar to this brand of music, this CD is a great first step. Here in are the musings of bands like Rancid, Agnostic Front, Swingin’ Utters, One Man, Army, Dropkick Murphys, Sick of it All, 59 Times the Pain, US Bombs, Anti-Heros, and the Bombshell Rocks just to name a few. This is a fantastic CD for fans and the brave at hear, willing to try something new. If raw, pure rock ‘n’ roll is your thing, Spirit of the Streets is a must for you.   (db) V/A - Warped Tour 2001 Compilation
Side One Dummy
This comp is a collection of bands that played on the 2001 Warped Tour, and is a lot better than I thought it would be. Included are tracks from The Bouncing Souls, Rancid, Flogging Molly, Madcap, AFI, Me First & the Gimme Gimmes, Swingin’ Utters, The Vandals, and The Might Mighty Bosstones, just to name a few. Depending on where you get this CD it is only about $9, so it’s pretty cheap. (db)
V/A - Warped Tour 2002 Compilation Side One Dummy This year's installment of the official Warped Tour Comp is a two-disc set, with 50 different bands, for only $6.50. As one can imagine, with 50 bands there is some really good stuff (Swingin’ Utters “Pills and Smoke” and One Man Army’s “SOS”) and some really bad stuff (I can’t think of the actual bad songs right now, mostly because I skipped over them as fast as my finger could hit the NEXT button on the CD player, but I do remember the Sum 41 song sucking major ass). Over all this CD is okay, but not great. I’m not a fan of most of the bands on here, so I’m sure that doesn’t help my opinion of the CD, but it does have a wide variety of stuff to choose from. The track that I was anticipating the most was Dag Nasty’s “Ghosts,” but it just didn’t have the power of the bands earlier material. The stand out moments on this CD are the aforementioned One Man Army track, The Eyeliners “I Could Never Hate You,” and Flogging Molly's amazing ;What’s Left of the Flag.” (db)
Show Reviews
The Rippers, Earth A.D., and The Beer Mongers Saturday July 27, 2002 Unit D Tulsa, Oklahoma Tulsa's youngest punk band The Rippers took the stage first, and tore through their set with a youthful energy. To be perfectly honest, I am not a big fan of this band. They play fast streetpunk in the style of Oxymoron, and One Way System. They are fairly good, I just think they need more practice. Lead vocalist Sean has improved since last I saw them live. Give them a year or so to hone their craft, and they will definitely be worth seeing. Missing from this performance was their second guitarist Stephen, who I think is very talented. Enid's Earth A.D. took the stage next, and played a great set, despite having some minor technical difficulties. They play a fast and furious mix of punk and metal, which is the kind of stuff I grew up listening to. Next up was The Beer Mongers, who played a great streetpunk rock n' roll set. Among originals like "American Bombs," "Whiskey Rampage," and "Chasing Yuppies," they also threw in some great covers like the Cocksparrer classic "Riot Squad".   The Beer Mongers are a GREAT band, and I hope to see a recording from them sometime in the near future. Unit D is an excellent venue, and well worth the short drive to Tulsa.(ch) Earth A.D. and Pressure Point Thursday August 1, 2002 Bulldog Music Shawnee, Oklahoma Earth A.D. took the stage around 9:30 p.m. and played a LOUD set. Their fast pace and gritty vocals set the initial tone for the night. I am rapidly becoming a big fan of this band. Their set is always tight and entertaining. Next up was Sacramento, California oi heros, Pressure Point. They played a rather short set, but their no holds barred sound worked the small crowd into a frenzy. After being a huge fan of the band for quite some time, I was happy to see them live, and they were much better than I expected. Lots of energy considering the almost unbearable temperature on stage. Bulldog Music is located in historic downtown Shawnee, inside what used to be a saloon and brothel. The stage is huge, and there is plenty of room for lots of people. So far the turnout for shows has been rather small, but hopefully in the future more people will make the short drive to Shawnee. Bulldog also features lots of extra rooms upstairs for touring bands to crash. All the Shawnee folks are good people, so make the 40 minute drive and help support a totally D.I.Y. venue. (ch)