It might be just a compilation of Night Birds' demos and EP's before their debut LP The Other Side Of Darkness, but it's just so great. One of the things that amazes me about it is that this comp dodges the very thing that kills most of them: it actually flows and feels like an album proper. Musically, it's some of the most strikingly consistent, absurdly fun, and wonderfully nostalgic surf punk you'll ever hear. Vocalist Brian Gorsegner is as charismatic as they come, and the endless surf-influenced riffs by Mike Hunchback are the perfect counterpart. It's a bit tough to call this comp mindless fun, though, as it's actually a very smart and nuanced affair as well. Everything from the music to the lyrics adhere to an aesthetic and an ethos that is decidedly for the working man, the pissed off, the people who long to be somewhere else other than their current place, the people who just want to have a good time. Put simply, it's punk as hell, and Night Birds embody it as well as any modern punk band out there.
Bump |
