I decided to take this page off angelfire and put it with the rest of my files, making things a lot less complicated. (also, in case Angelfire goes down again and wipes everything out the page will be safe). In case you haven't guessed, this page is the equivalent of the review section of a zine, since i think of this website as an e-zine of sorts. If you're in a band or do a zine, and want to send me something to review, my address is at the bottom of the page. I prefer Oi! (obviously), straight-ahead punk, and older-style hardcore (in other words, no mosh-mania!). Pennywise-type pop-punk, ska-core, and emo give me a headache, but i will try to give an honest review to whatever i get.
If you want to write some reviews for me, send 'em over and i'll put 'em up.
The Adicts - Sound of Music - CD Reissue
Not as good as "Songs of Praise", but better than anything they've done since.
Analogs - Oi! Mlodziez - tape
These Polish skins & punks make a very impressive showing on this tape. 11 aggressive, mid-tempo Oi! stormers that are melodic in that European way. Sometimes this band reminds me a bit of Klasse Kriminale. You also get covers of Cock Sparrer and Clash tunes to boot. Could've done without the little bit at the end, some guy taking a dump, but this is a good tape.
Blitz - Voice of a Generation - CD Reissue
A classic.
Bomb Squadron - Another Generation Lost - 7"
A nice mix of snotty pogo-punk and streetpunk.
Boot Party - Headstomp - CD
Not the Fresno band, and nowhere near as good.
Business - Saturday's Heroes - CD Reissue
Good songs, cheesy production, wanky solos.
Catfish - Eat Your Carp Out - Tape
Non-PC punk from Detroit
Cockney Rejets - Greatest Hits Volume One - CD Reissue
You don't need me to tell you that this is a must-have...
Cock Sparrer - Shock Troops/Runnin' Riot in '84 - CD reissue
"Shock Troops" is a classic, "Runnin Riot" isn't that great...
Cutthroat - Tape
Okay Oi! band from Cleveland. It grew on me with repeated listenings.
Epileptix - Kill Yourself - Tape
Some of the snottiest, most fucked-up pogo-punk you'll ever hear from this Detroit band, including a cover of Freestones mighty "Bummer Bitch".
First Strike - 7"
Straight-ahead, full-on roughneck Oi! from NYC.
Gutter Punx - Drunk 4 Life - Tape
This is actually pretty damn good, much better than the band's lame name would suggest
Impact - Legendes Urbaines - CD
Fans of French Oi!, or the Oppressed, would really get into this Quebec band. Brutal, hard Oi! with a touch of hardcore, and a cover of a Camera Silens classic and the Oppressed's "Riot" translated to French. Another great Canadian band.
Lager Lads - Rose City Boot Boys - 7"
This great Windsor Oi! band's best songs can be found here
Lager Lads - Making the Last Call - 7"
Four more great songs from my favorite local band
Lager Lads - Bruised, Boozed & Tattoed - 7"
This is the long-awaited third ep from Windsor's only Oi! band. The three Lads tunes on here were recorded quite some time ago, but are finally available for mass-consumption. "Lager Lad Love-Affair" is a humourous song with a ska beat, while "On The Side" and "Moy Street Boys" are all-out, bloodthirsty streetpunk stompers. This release also contains the Posers' classic "Rich Kids", one of my favourites, though what it's doing here is kind of a mystery.
Mayhem United - Tape
This band from Windsor plays great, female-fronted street punk
Pist-N-Broke - American Drinking Songs - 12" ep
Simply put, this is a must-have. One of the best Oi! bands ever, and in my opinion the best band ever to incorporate reggae into their sound
Posers - Kill the Ravers - Tape
An incredible Windsor punk band, and a great tape. My highest reccomendation.
Posers - What's Become - 7"
This should be out in a couple months(?). Even better than their previous demo, this is absolutely fucking incredible. Pure punk rock from the streets. Like the Sauce-Man sez, "if you can't get into the Posers, you ain't much of a punk!"
Posers - Kill The Ravers - 7"
It's about time these guys ot some vinyl out, so the rest of the world can see what they've been missing. Four tracks from last year's outstanding "Kill the Ravers" demo, which was one of the best punk releases of the '90s. For some reason there's also a Lager Lads track tacked on, and it's one of their absolute best, "Make My Day", so fucking pick this up even if you already have the tape!
Radioactive School Girls - S.U.K. (Stupid Urban Kids) - tape
Bad production ruins this tape. Go see them live.
Scurvies - Punk Awaits - Tape
Bad production, but the band's talent shines through.
Tension - We Hate... Destroy! - CD
These guys play a brutal mix of '82 britpunk and metal, sounding a bit like Broken Bones
Those Unknown - S/T - CD
One of the best Oi! bands going. A modern classic.
Timebomb 77 - Protect & Serve - CD
Basically this is a heavier variation on the Blanks 77. Not bad, kind of monotonous after a whole disc though.
V/A - Best of Oi! Records - CD
A collection of some of the best tracks from this highly influential British label from the mid-'80s.
V/A - Caught in the Cyclone - CD
A great selection of some of the best Oi! and streetpunk bands around
V/A - Heroes and Vilains - LP
While the (previously released) music is good, this comp is far from being essential.
V/A - Oi! It's Party Time for Working Class Kids - 7"
The Dickheads, The Choice, The Service and the Wretched Ones play one great track each.
V/A - Oink! Skinzine #5 - 7"
This 7" comes with the latest issue of Oink!, which will be reviewed here as soon as i get a copy. Four tracks, and they are all keepers. The Lager Lads give us another instant classic, "Finest Hour". Anyone familiar with Windsor's finest knows what to expect; hard-ass, no-nonsense streetpunk with gruff vocals. Up next is a new (to my ears at least) band, the infiltrators. Their track is a lot better than i was expecting, since these guys are often described as "oi-core", which had me thinking of Warzone, Heidneck Stew or Street Troopers. What we have is a fast, loose (but not sloppy) and catchy as hell track that reminds me of Niblick Henbane. Flip this over and you get the Wretched Ones doing a good natured number with humorous lyrics about being in the "Oi! Mode". This song is always in my head when I'm at work. I don't think the Wretched Ones have ever recorded a bad song. The ep is rounded out by the Krays, who remind me of a cross between the Upstarts and Oxymoron. Their song is good, but I'd have to here more to judge if the excessive hype I've been hearing about this band is justified...
V/A - Streetpunk Worldwide - 7"
An incredible comp with Oxymoron (which should be enough to make you buy this in itself), Braindance, the Discocks, and NYC's great Bottom of the Barrel.
FANZINE REVIEWS
Absolutly Pissed - #1
A good first effort. I didn't care much for all the ska stuff, but the Oi! stuff makes this worth getting.
Alfred Tetslaff - English Edition
A german skinhead zine in English for the first time. These guys also run the Blind Beggar label.
Do A Runner! - #1
This is a high-quality Oi! zine from NY. Slim, but well worth it. the next issue should be a classic.
Do A Runner! - #2
My only complaint about the last issue of DAR! was that it was too small, and that problem has been fixed with the new issue, which is almost twice as big, while retaining the same level of quality. Well-done and interesting interviews with Bottom of the Barrel, Bovver 96, the Business, Da Pingaz, First Strike, Oxblood, and John from Vulture Rock Records, plus an article on Nabat, a Boots & Braces tour diary, and shitloads of news, record, zine & show reviews. A definite must for anyone with even a passing interest in streetpunk.
L'Ere Bete - #3
Another Canadian Simon does this great bilingual Oi! zine. An all-Canadian issue, including an interview with Windsor's own Lager Lads.
To send me something for review:
Simon Beneteau
247 Esdras Place
Windsor, Ontario,
N8S 2M4/CANADA
Email:beneteau@oocities.com.
Anyone who wants to get ahold of any of this stuff... get in touch and i'll give you the right address.
Cheers!!