Kevin, the lead singer and drummer for The Fixtures, has been banging and making a racket in LA, for, fuck, going on fourteen years (Dangerous Music, their first album, was released in 1987). Fast enough for hardcore kids with assflaps to churn, they’re a lot more than just that. The uniqueness comes from Kevin. Two things. He’s the drummer and lead singer. The only other band I can think of with that set up is The Carpenters, and, thankfully, the similarities end there. I don’t think Kevin’s bulimic and The Fixtures have nothing to do with bubblegum pop. The other thing is that Kevin is punk rock’s answer to an operatic overlord. The closest comparison I can come up with is Jello Biafra; his voice can trill, sound gloomy doomy, and he sings all the way through (Kevin’s been at this way too long to be clumped to being a Dead Kennedys clone). It throws some people off on first listen, but believe me, it doesn’t take long and you won’t even notice it. The result: ultra-tight, satisfying, drum-driven, smart punk rock. Another strong outing.
–todd (The Fixtures, Gate to Hell)