GRUB ZINE: Aw shit, this is MV's sophmore CD, and there's no slumping here!!! Fast, angry skate punk dealing with political and personal problems. I just love these guys because the music's great and lyrics well written. I used to think they resembled Rancid a bit but not anymore, and the sound is expanded on this album with some acoustic parts and other subtle things. People have to start checking out more Canadian bands and this is a fine place to start. This CD plain and simply kicks ass. This is one of my favorites!! This band is amazing, and you must check them out. I advise you to get this great release from RAW ENERGY! (5.5 out of 6)

RPM WEEKLY - July 27/98: If Rancid has a little brother who was bratty and angry, he might sound like Marilyn's Vitamins. The Orangeville, Ontario quintet broke that damn punk dam with a couple of indie releases and last years critically acclaimed In These Shoes, which pretty much made them the last word on up and coming hardcore in the area. The guys return, as incensed as ever, with roadside wisdom on How To Debate A Nationalist And Win, how to throw a Funeral For A Living Friend or how to endure The Day They Cancelled Baywatch. The punk/hardcore staples are here, including the twenty-nine second song (Hey Man, Nice Set) intermingled with a fast, furious and surprisingly competent set despite a musical vocabulary equivalent to a few cleverly angled swear words. As the title intimates, there is a little more politic than dance floor here, but Marilyn's Vitamins' big mouth on issues of interest to squeegee kids makes for an album that will box your ears to get a response out of you. The guys are too young for this accolade, but what the fuck, they have it in them; it's classic hardcore all the way. [RG]

EYE MAGAZINE - Aug 6, 1998: I first heard an early edition of this at a party. It was good then, and it rules now. Marilyn's Vitamins had the foresight to realize that their brand of punk shouldn't be produced to a glossy shine. Not to say this is ultra lo-fi -- it's just produced perfectly to go with amazing material. They talk about all that political stuff really well, but I couldn't go into all of it. You should just check out their Politics for yourself.

DUCTAPE - Summer '98: When I first heard "Down and Out In Levitown," M.V.'s first release (cassette only), I knew that these five guys wouldn't get thrown under the rug with the other "look we're political!" punk bands that have a tendency to pop up daily. Two cd releases later, they've put out what might just go down in history as one of the most thought provoking and sincere punk recordings of all time. "How to Debate a Nationalist and Win" kicks off Politics witht the rousing chant of "REJECT WHAT THEY SAY, DENY WHAT THEY FEEL. STAND UP AND WALK PAST THOSE WHO'D HAVE YOU KNEEL" - a chorus sure to get young minds thinking and fists pumping. New topics are covered too - a refreshing break from the very political "In These Shoes" (1996). "The Day They Canceled Baywatch" covers issues regarding portrayal of women in media, while album closer "Promising Madelline" is a homage to vocalist Colin Vitamin's girlfriend. Yes, her name is Madelline. Also interesting is "Hey Man, Nice Set" - a tribute to the countless people who tell the band that they're talking the danger out of punk rock by discouraging stage diving at shows. Politics On The Dance Floor shows Marilyn's Vitamins emerge with a fresher sound than previously heard; undertones of Dead Kennedy's are still easy to pick out, but at this point, it feels as though every influence the band has ever had has just melted together into a completely unique sound. This is my best bet for cd of the year so far.

In These Shoes

MAXIMUMROCKNROLL - Feb '97: A musical genre which I seem to come across quite often now, and which I deem EYM (for Earnest Young Men)-core. Punk bands who take themselves pretty seriously and obviously care about things (not to be confused with "emo"). But all kiddin' aside, if bands have to be this serious to rock as hard as these guys, then maybe it worth it (actually GG or goofy-guy-core is even worse). These guys have songs that do as pretty good job of blasting the cobwebs from my skull (a fair amount these days) and seem pretty tireless and full on powerful all the time. Musically these guys sort of sound like if the old Social Distortion had a huge injection of Oi! mainlined into them. 17 songs, a lot of them pretty killer.

PUNK PLANET - May/June '97: If there is one thing that I've become while reviewing for PP it's jaded. I have had a lot of records cross my turntable, 99% of them being absolute shit. Very rarely have I heard anything that I thought was worth listening to again, much less something that I think rocks. This band is an exception. This thing is straight ahead knock down drag out 77 madness. Darn good release and I hope I can find all the other stuff they've put out. This thing rules. Unfortunately, I have it on cd. This kind of record I totally want on vinyl. It's just got that feel. Great stuff, worth fighting your brother for.

FLIPSIDE - March/April '97: Mix together one glass beaker full of some obnoxiousness of FYP and the sneer of The Queers, shake it thogoughly like a well shaken mixture of martini, and watch the whole concoction go splat all over the place... Seventeen tracks of melody tinged tunes with some gravelly sloppy vocals fronting them, fueled at times by sheer silliness. At times they kind of remind me of the Nip Drivers... the cold air must be freezing parts of their brains.

Squeegee Girl 7"

MAXIMUMROCKNROLL - May '98: This is nice. Very old school sing a long punk, that's full of intelligence and a sense of fun. Simple and to the point, these songs avoid any musical ndulgence, preferring to beeline for the jugular. There's cool punk energy and melodies with out being remotely "poppy". With 4 songs, and not a dud among them you really should get this.

THRUST - Summer '98: The choice youngin voice on TO's long standing punk rock label (my how time flies), Marilyn's Vitamins play their game at warp speed, managing to cram four numbers on seven inches at the crawling speed of 33 RPM. Huh. "Sqeegee Girl"? An inevitable title (a teen phenomena - read all about it gramps), just glad someone in the know (and proper age bracket) tackled it first. And a worship song to rival "Lovely Rita (Meter Maid)"... uh, I'm showing my age here... next.