D.R.I.: But Wait….There’s More!: 7” EP
Truth be told, I haven’t paid much attention to these cats since a wee bit after they dropped Dealing with It, which was, Jesus, thirty-one years ago. Was never all that much into metal—and even less so punk’s “crossover” period—so as the Dirty Rotten Imbeciles slowed their tempos, stretched out the song lengths, and lengthened their hair, I was off looking for more interesting things with which to bludgeon my ears. Seeing two old tunes here—and (correctly) guessing they were newer incarnations—piqued my interest enough to pick this up outta the piles, and I admit I was also curious as to where they were these days. The tempos here are still slower than the days of “Makes No Sense” and “Misery Loves Company,” but there’s also a bit less metal in the mix than their later stuff was drenched in; definitely a blessing. Of the five songs here, the reworkings of “Madman” and “Couch Slouch” are the strongest, though they pale next to the originals. The remaining three are mid-gear thrashers that aren’t terrible but don’t really stand out in an underground that is rife with bands peddling much more crucial wares. The O.G. fan in me really wants to like this, but in the end I just come out feeling… unimpressed. –Jimmy Alvarado (Beer City)