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I got into the Strawberry Blondes thanks to my good
friend Jim Palser who was actually the fourth member
of the Strawberry Blondes until a few months ago
when he decided that life on the road in a punk
rock band was not working for him and he decided
to leave the band but continued to tell me that
their new album ‘Fight Back’ is proper
punk rock and going to be one of the best underground
punk albums of the year, I took Jim’s word
for it and decided to check the album out for myself
and I am very glad that I listened to what Jim said
as the album is punk as fuck and a strong listen
from start to finish.
The strawberry Blondes are everything that I
love about punk rock, they are an really energetic
band that sing about politics and living in the
bleak and decaying cities of Britain, instrumentally
they rock with Jay Rebel constant and fast drumming,
Benji Riot’s bouncy bass lines and Mickie
Stabbs fast yet hooky guitar riffs, vocally is
where these guys really pack a punch with Mickie
Stabbs in your face lead vocals, with massive
sing-a-long gang vocals coming and going throughout
pretty much every song, if you are a fan of Rancid,
The Briggs, Goldblade, Anti-Flag and Guns On The
Roof then you will love everything that ‘Fight
Back’ has to offer.
The album opens with ‘Revolution Radio’
a song that shows that the Strawberry Blondes
are here to make a noise but to deliver that noise
in an fast and upbeat way that will have you chanting
along with the bands lead and group vocals, as
soon as the song finishes it blast off into the
album title track ‘Fight Back’ which
starts off with a speedy guitar riff which runs
right up until the chant-a-long chorus which features
group vocals of “Fight back, fight back”,
along with many “Woahhhs”.
One of my favourite tracks on the album is ‘Culture
Sucks The Life Out Of Me’, it starts off
with a massive bouncy sounding instrumental piece
before going on a real fast melodic journey which
you just can’t help but sing-a-long to,
the song reminds of one of the more catchy Rancid
songs of the past. Another strong song is ‘Hang
Em All High’, the song talks about hanging
all the people that preach to you with religion,
racism and propaganda, the song has a lot going
for it instrumentally, vocally and lyrically.
Fans of The Briggs will be happy to see that
Joey La Rocca from the band appears on ‘Goodbye
Inspiration’ for some guest vocals, the
song is well catchy and features one of the most
melodic choruses of the whole album and will be
one of the songs on the album that you will find
yourself listening to over and over again whilst
getting the same amount of enjoyment out of it
each and every time.
When ‘007/ Rudi’ come son you will
be forgiven for thinking that you accidently switched
over to the solo Tim Armstrong album as the song
see’s the Strawberry Blondes turn to the
Reggae side of music, it is an interesting song
but I urge the Strawberry Blondes to stick to
their punk rock roots as that is where they really
shine, but fair play to them for having a little
bit of fun here.
The more I listen to ‘Fight Back’
the more I fall in love with it and the more often
my favourite song changes, one minute I will like
‘Culture Sucks The Life Out Of Me’
the most then the next I will love ‘RCH
Punx’ the most and then the next ‘Out
Of Luck’, my mind changes on a regular bases
and that is because the whole album is so strong
making choosing a favourite track a near impossible
task as you know that you will never stick to
one song.
Lyrically many people can relate to what the
Strawberry Blondes have to say as they talk about
reality and things that are happening in the world
right this minute, the Strawberry Blondes may
not be able to change the world but they are able
to spread the word of their beliefs and at the
same time they are here to show that punk rock
is still alive and that it belongs back home in
the UK.
5/5
Review by Trigger |
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| Band
Members |
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Mickie Stabbs
Benji Riot
Jay rebel |
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| Track
Listing |
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1. Revolution Radio
2. Fight Back
3. Faded Dreams
4. Manners & Respect
5. Culture Sucks The Life Out Of Me
6. Hang `Em All High
7. Goodbye Inspiration
8. 007/Rudi
9. No Way Out
10. RCH Punx
11. Out Of Luck
12. No Pasaran!
13. Las Brigadas Internationales
14. Hard Times
15. Social Control |
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| Band
Related Links |
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| Review
Score Code |
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- Top Cheese
- Brilliant
- Pretty damn good
- Ok I guess
-
What Was That? |
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