With his stalwart companions in D.O.A., singer/songwriter/guitarist Joe Shithead Keithley has stayed true to the never-say-die ethos of 70s punk rock, needing little more than three chords, an eye for social injustices and a bucket full of rage. Talk – Action = 0 is merely the latest issue in a decades-long subscription to a familiar magazine. Admittedly, some of the sentiments are dated. In a music world that’s long accepted punk into the commercial mainstream (for good or ill), “They Hate Punk Rock” sounds out of touch, and punk versions of old standards like “That’s Amore” became irritating almost as soon as the first one was waxed. And do we really need another rock tribute to Star Trek? But angry asskickers like “Don’t Bank On a Bank,” “I Live in a Car” and “That’s Why I Am An Atheist” hit contemporary nerves with Thor’s hammer, and generalist fistpumpers like “Don’t Let Your Life,” “Rebel Kind” and “Tyrants Turn in Hell” work because of timeless themes that deserve another visit. Plus the band just plain sounds good, driving and forceful, with just enough melody to keep it from being boring after two songs. Is Keithley an iconoclast with ironclad values or an old fart who refuses to acknowledge that times have changed? That’s up to you, but I find it hard to argue with Talk – Action = 0.
