Music Reviews 1/2002

Terminus City - Justice Isn't Always Fair
TKO Records
     Terminus City combine oi, punk, and traditional rock 'n' roll into a blast of raw energy. 
Justice… is an excellent first release that leaves you wanting more.  Don't miss the Chuck Berry-esque "Back Seat", the working class anthem "My Castle", or the fist pumping "Harold was a Hooligan".

Various artists - Spirit of the Streets
Burning Heart Records
     
Spirit of the Streets is a look into the music often referred to as street rock/street punk.  For those unfamiliar to this brand of music, this CD is a great first step.  Here in are the musings of bands like Rancid, Agnostic Front, Swingin' Utters, One Man, Army, Dropkick Murphys, Sick of it All, 59 Times the Pain, US Bombs, Anti-Heros, and the Bombshell Rocks just to name a few.  This is a fantastic CD for fans and the brave at heart, willing to try something new.  If raw, pure rock 'n' roll is your thing, Spirit of the Streets is a must for you.   

Those Unknown - Malice & Misfortune (EP)
TKO Records
     Those Unknown return after a long hiatus and bring back their brand of catchy, left wing street rock 'n' roll.  This four song EP includes three originals and a cover of The Pogues classic "Dirty Old Town".  While this
Malice & Misfortune is good, it lacks the spark, energy, and passion of the band's 1995 self-titled debut CD (on GMM Records, but currently out of print). 

Various artists - Cheap Shots and Low Blows
TKO Records
     
Cheap Shots and Low Blows is a chronicle and testament to the early days of TKO Records.   This CD is a collection of the early 7-inch records the label released in 1997-98.  The CD opens with TKO's first release, One Man Army's classic Bootlegger's Son 7-inch, which includes "Another Dead End Story" and "Never Call it Quits" later released on the band's CD Dead End Stories and "Bootlegger's Son" later released on the Last Word Spoken CD.  We are then ripped into The Forgotten's Class Separation 7-inch, and from there taken through the Workin' Stiffs, Lower Class Brats, and the Anti-Heros/Dropkick Murphy's split (the last release for original lead singer Mike McColgan).  The best moments on this CD are the four songs by The Bodies, along with the Dead End Cruisers "Friday Night" and The Truents "Don't Look Back".  Most, if not all, of these records are out of print, so this CD is a must for fans of these bands and this label (especially for those of us who had these records and then sold them in moments of poorness).     

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