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I have a confession to make. In this hectic world, with our ever increasingly busy schedules and the sheer volume of available music, it’s hard to make the time to fairly listen to everything I receive. This is a textbook example of that. I had what I thought was an OK reason to leave this one in the bottom of the pile for way too long, though. I saw them open for Grant Hart a few years ago at Johnny Brenda’s and though they were energetic, they didn’t do much for me that night for whatever reason, so this disc remained unplayed until now, when I’m determined to get to everything I’ve had sitting around that bands and labels have sent to me over the years.
Anyway, what a fool I was because this 2009 release just smokes from start to finish, blasting through 11 songs in a measly 26 minutes. Fans of Jukebox Zeros (who I believe are friendly with these fellow South Philly denizens) will rejoice, but they’re less rock and a bit more punk if that makes sense. One song is called “Naked Reagan”. If you get the reference, you’ll love this. I hear rip-roaring Johnny Thunders‘ leads all over the place along with hints of Motörhead or even Discharge style quick riffing and soloing and early ’80s Midwestern stalwarts Zero Boys in their sound as well.
While it’s no doubt that part of the success of this record is that Pete Donnelly recorded it and Brian McTear mixed it (in other words, it sounds fantastic), the spirit and heart just bleed all over this thing. The cover has a guy with a L.A.M.F. tattoo passed out on a barstool and a cute punk woman standing over him. If that doesn’t accurately describe this record, nothing does.
