A successful return to old. It’s been a long, long time since I came across an overtly politi-punk band that I found satisfying, but Cranked Up! fit the bill. The lyrics revolve around different metaphors and means of resisting authority/the state/the reactionary, etc., but don’t really come off as clichéd—a real danger in such situations—and they’re put to some truly energetic and catchy punk; all in all, a good package. The liner notes do provide little blurbs about the songs, though, and that irks me ‘cause as I see it, if you need to explain your lyrics then your lyrics haven’t done the job in the first place. I’ll let that go, though, since the rest of the record merits my approval.
–guest (Creep)