V/A Current Affairs CD
Here we have ten bands and seventeen songs from England and the Netherlands, tackling all types of underground punk. This CD has all the makings of a charming local release of all pals and pub buddies working to capture a moment in time. OLD AGE SPIES start off with a real zinger of an upbeat melodic stomper with lyrics surrounding the boring day-to-day. From there, MOUSER shoots in with a rager on the hardcore side of things, then plops in later with some great punk swagger that hat-tips to the FALL a little bit. Coming in just under one minute, ABRAZOS’s “We Pretend to Work Because They Pretend to Pay Us” locks in fast and furious with shared vocals. Soon after, STRESSSYSTEM accepts the challenge with a tune almost 400 percent longer, mirroring ABRAZOS’s intensity with a powerful crust/hardcore offering also with shared vocals. BRIOCHE, with the tracks “Aliens Are Real” and “Strange,” is a brother-and-sister duo that can be best described as the Swain kids from the Kurt Vonnegut book Slapstick with their joint genius, and stylistic and genuinely enthralling songs. FORD’S FUZZ INFERNO is perfect melodic, straight-ahead lo-fi punk. With every compilation I have ever listened to, I always look for a few distinct things. First, did these bands give their best? These bands did. Second, do I get the feeling that I’d want to stop into their hometowns for lunch and record shopping? I don’t think I’d want to go record shopping, but I’d totally want to hang out, grab a pint, and have a laugh. Third, and most importantly, do I want to seek out music from bands I’ve never heard before? One hundred percent. My funds are a little tight right now, but as soon as that tax cash comes in, I’ll be tossing some across the pond for a whole big mess of stuff. Also, if you act now, you’ll receive a zine and some other things, too.