I really like the fact that these kids aren’t afraid to comment on more than how much fun it is to fart in public and equally innocuous subject matter. They articulate their feelings well enough that the lyrics don’t come off as trite, and they perform their tunes with a tightness that takes some time to acquire. That said, I really wish they’d shitcan the Rancid-derived ska/punk thing and try to come up with something that sets them apart from the herd. Seriously, if you really like Caribbean rhythms, how about opting for a chutney-punk hybrid? Ragga-punk? Calypso-core? If there’s some reason for a strictly punk-derived musical diet, may I suggest gleaning a little more influence from SavageRepublic, Butthole Surfers, Big Boys, Killing Joke, The Pop Group, or early Public Image Ltd. instead? The possibilities of coming up with something truly unique are limitless with a little creativity and some poking into stuff you haven’t listened to before, you know? I really don’t mean this all as a slag-off or a sermon, but I hear the seeds of some good ideas being wasted on a subgenre that’s just been way too strip-mined to be of much value at this point. Besides, ain’t trying to transcend—and one-up—rather than ape one’s influences the point to being a punk, let alone a musician?
–jimmy (Anatomic Bomb)