Mini Reviews


Once more, too much stuff. Some mini reviews. Enough talk.

Dropkick Murphys - Do Or Die Ok, I know I’m late on this one, but there are only a certain number of hours blah blah blah. Boston punk / Ska sorta band, but who, for whatever reason, OD on some Irish antics. Which helps to set them apart. There’s a great deal of bands on labels like Epitaph and Fat Wreck Chords etc, who put out good music, full of good toons blah di blah, but it’s getting all a bit samey isn’t it. Well, yeah, it is. Which is why it’s nice when something comes along which is just that little bit different. Which this is.

Suicide Machines - Battle Hymns. First up. Has to be said. Horrible horrible title. No no, no, no NO. Reach for ye loins cloths and thoust broadsword. Anyway, the last Suicide Machines album stood up, peered down and then took a bloody great piss all over the last Rancid album. This one hasn’t got time to unzip it’s pants. I mean, 22 songs - 31 minutes. Two songs of 4 seconds each. I’m all for not stretching something past it’s sell by date, but sometimes this is just silly. Take my favourite track, Confused. Glorious, glorious song. Try playing it twice and not be singing along. Switches between ska and punk. A sound in the ska which is pure summer. Infectious. I love this song. One of the longest tracks on the album. And it’s over in 2 minutes. Just when you’re thinking ‘aaaaah’. Dead. Gone. Frustrating. And that’s what this album offers so much of. So many good tunes, but over before you want them to be. As such, I still have to recommend the Destruction By Definition album. Hope Hollywood Records don’t fuck them over as much as they did Human Waste Project.

Pulkas - Greed. Pulkas are the great British hopes. Or at least this weeks,. Look, there's many great British hopes out there. Let's just accept that. But Pulkas deserve to be lumped in there as well. The demo tracks that have appeared on the Organ radio CDs (and other compilations) have served to build their reputation and increase the anticipation of the release of this album. And it doesn't let itself down either.

Loaded is the perfect opener for the album. Catchy enough to grab your attention early on, showcasing many of the bands talents. Groove, Luke's vocals, songs.

Talking of songs, which ones are the best. Well, at the moment for me it's Rubber Room, Hippy Fascist, Control, Rebirth. Well, it's all good. I guess there is an element that it'll get compared with stuff like The Deftones. Maybe that's good, maybe not. You decide. For me, I'm perfectly happy with this shiny CD thank you very much. Nice one.