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  ...presents...                   cDc core #4
                             original album reviews
                                                         by The Pusher

                      >>> a cDc publication.......1989 <<<
                        -cDc- CULT OF THE DEAD COW -cDc-
_______________________________________________________________________________


ALL: Allroys' Revenge (Cruz)

     Another album from the "punk rock Beach Boys".  Same stuff, songs about
girls, and sleeping.  And they've also got a new singer.  Dave Smalley left for
school, so Scott Reynolds (ex-Three Car Pileup) took over.  He's quite the pop
singer, but not as much as Dave.  ALL continues moving their sound away from
the DESCENDENTS (though "Check One" could easily be a DESCENDENTS song), thanks
to incredible musicianship (Karl Alvarez and Bill Stevenson were voted best
rhythm section in the last FLIPSIDE poll).  It's good, but not great.  Why the
cover of "Hot Rod Lincoln"?


CHEMICAL PEOPLE: Ten Fold Hate (Cruz)

     Like their labelmates, ALL, Chemical People write a lot of songs about
girls.  But these girl songs are of a slightly different nature.  "Cherry On A
Sunday", "Nudist Camp", "Cop A Feel" ...see what I'm talking about?  They're
almost on GG ALLIN level.  Don't get me wrong here though, this is a great
pop-core album.  For all of you who wish ALL would play a little harder in
places, buy this.  Includes two instrumentals, a rap song "Black Throat", with
porn star Jack Baker doing the vocals, and two intros.  And by the way, try not
to cum on the cover.


FREE FOR ALL compilation (Hawker)

     A live compilation album featuring the four bands in Hawker Records'
current line-up (NO FOR AN ANSWER, REST IN PIECES, TOKEN ENTRY - who sound like
Aerosmith at times, and WRECKING CREW), taped in April at CBGB's.  Each band
gets about 8 minutes and 3 songs on the tape.  Clear production, not really
necessary for fans, more of a sampler for people wishing to check out one of
the major up-and-coming hardcore labels.


NAKED RAYGUN: Understand? (Caroline)

     The 4th album from one of the greatest punk bands in the whole country.
Buzzsaw guitar, songs you can sing along and dance to, plenty of "Whoah Whoah
Ho Ho" choruses, definitely in contention for album of the year.  The lyrics
(written by all the band members) somehow manage to include seriousness and
satirical humor in every song.  It may be less rock than "Jettison", but still
a must.


OLD SKULL: Get Outta School (Restless)

     I'm sure some of you have heard something about this Wisconsin band by
now.  "The Youngest Punk Band In The World."  Some guy got his two 9-year old
kids, and one of their friends, and recorded this "album" of "songs".  They do
play songs, but it's what you would expect from 9-year olds, spazzing out on
the instruments and such.  The lyrics are so simple they're good, but obviously
written by an adult trying to make them seem like they were written by a kid.
Maybe they'll be a good band a decade from now, but now it's just a novelty
act.  If you pay money for this, you're getting ripped off.  Is this what will
succeed straight-edge?  Pre-teen-core?


RAMONES: Brain Drain (Sire)

     A little better than some of their previous albums, as they don't try as
much to play that complicated stuff (guitar solos and such), sticking to their
trademark 4-chord-hyper-Rock 'N' Roll.  There are some songs that show The
Ramones still have some "punk" in them like "Learn To Listen," and "Ignorance
Is Bliss."  There are also some truly awful songs like the theme to the movie
"Pet Sematary," and "Merry Christmas."  Great cover of the 1959 Freddy Cannon
hit "Palisades Park."  Over-produced as usual.


STATE OF THE UNION compilation (Dischord)

     This is THE compilation of the year.  16 Dischord/Sammich bands on a
benefit album for the A.C.L.U. and the Community for Creative Non-Violence.
Rock, Punk, Hardcore, Folk, and some great articles on apartheid and the
homeless inside.  Very popular bands like IGNITION and FUGAZI, and some other
bands who have never been on a record before like 3 and ONE LAST WISH.  EVERY
song is excellent, this is an excellent album, for an excellent cause.  Buy or
Die!


24-7 SPYZ: Harder Than You (In Effect)

     The latest "black rock" (Like blacks just discovered rock...Jeez) group to
get a lot of attention, the South Bronx's 24-7 Spyz.  This has got: Hardcore
("Grandma Dynamite"), Metal ("I Must Go On"), Rock ("Social Plague"), Rap
("Spyz Dope"), Reggae ("Ballots Not Bullets"), Funk ("Jungle Boogie"), and even
a polka song about skinheads! ("Tango Skin Polka").  They can definitely play
as well as any of those MTV metal bands.  I'm not so sure it needs to be this
diverse, 1 too many styles, but a great album.  Why can't the white bands make
a good rock album anymore?


THE UNDEAD: Act Your Rage! (Post-Mortem)

     Finally, 9 years after quitting the MISFITS, Bobby Steele got a full-
length Undead album together.  And it is one kick ass PUNK FUCKING ROCK album!
The best elements of the MISFITS and the RAMONES together.  And Steele himself
is an extraordinary guitarist, even throwing in some Hendrix riffs on "We Don't
Want The Poor In New York City."  There are many people who like the old "'77"
punk a lot more than hardcore, and this is what they should be getting.  Way
above-average cover of "Eve Of Destruction."


UNDERDOG: The Vanishing Point (Caroline)

     NYC band that ended up on Caroline despite being nowhere near as popular
as label-mates (and perhaps rock stars?), YOUTH OF TODAY and WARZONE.  This is
good East Coast slow metal-core music, with some reggae thrown in.  Powerful
lyrics, but I can't ignore the fact that I don't like this type of music!

  _   _   _____________________________________________________________________
/((___))\|The Convent..........619/475-6187  The Dead Zone.........214/522-5321
 [ x x ] |Demon Roach Undrgrnd.806/794-4362  Greenpeace's IGB......916/673-8412
  \   /  |PURE NIHILISM..........new # soon  The Works.............617/861-8976
  (' ')  |Tequila Willy's GSC..209/526-3194  Ripco.................312/528-5020
   (U)   |=====================================================================
  .ooM   |(c)1989 cDc communications by The Pusher.               09/30/89-#114
\_______/|All Rights Pissed Away.

