To remain one of the seminal voices of punk for longer than most can remember, you would have to possess what defines the genre as a whole. Back with another energy ridden proto-punk outfit, Jello Biafra and The Guantanamo School of Medicine offer their debut 9-track collection branded The Audacity Of Hype. This out of the gate release courtesy Biafra and his gang is a nostalgic fuck you with polished elements that make listening to that classic straining awkward voice a joy all over again. Ralph Spight and Kimo Ball man the axes with speed, finesse and old school emotion, while Billy Gould garages up a storm on the big strings and Jon Weiss delivers a neatly packaged trash beat that teeters on the edge of control and loss thereof. The flavors on this disk are plentiful if nothing else, searching sound from Jello’s past haunts, namely Dead Kennedys, as well as manic sensibility from the blood of The Stooges, and a casual lack of innocence a la The Melvins. The album opens as a swift kick to George Bush’s balls with The Terror of Tinytown, as Biafra spits words of frustration explaining that although he’s gone, the fight’s not over till he’s brought to justice. On to grittier things, we’re fed an old street speed fest complete with blistering string work and Biafra’s pacing craze on Clean As A Thistle. Once New Feudalism and Panic Land make their way into the picture, the mood is set for a contemporary 80s-punk ride through lavish guitar bits, bitchy disdain for authority and a masterful exhibition of full sounding rock. This album is a nail biting follow up to Biafra’s career as a whole, and should be regarded as such. The same roots exist, with some advanced quality and respect for evolution. But the fans of yesteryear will be pleased to hear that some great things haven’t changed. There’s always room for Jello.
Lit Hardway
Key Tracks: Clean As A Thistle, New Feudalism, Panic Land, Three Strikes
Moods: Irreverent, Cynical, Acerbic, Raucous, Lively, Brash
Buy: The Audacity Of Hype
related
- Hypodermic Needles, Airplane Bathrooms & Pete Doherty… Oh My
- Surfer Blood – Astro Coast
- Kanye West and Spike Jonze Blow the Internet’s Mind With We Were Once a Fairytale
