Review Summary: This is rock 'n roll
"This is Rock 'n Roll!" No fooling around, no building up suspense, not even an intro. From second one, The Kids let the listener know what he should expect for the upcoming 25 minutes: Rock 'n roll. A backbeat and a single rhythm chord, that's all they need. Simplicity is the name of the game here, and - as proven several other times in the past - simplicity is often best. Concept over execution.
The concept is something we Belgians excel at: ranting about Belgium. Ranting about stupid politicians (
Bloody Belgium), the incompetent police force (
Fascist Cops), high unemployment rates (
I Wanna Get a Job in the City), and boring parties (
Old DJs). But ranting is fun! Especially when accompanied by some of the rawest punk you'll ever hear this side of the European mainland. Backbeat and a power chord going 100mph. And bass. The bass guitar is the secret weapon of The Kids. It really lifts the songs from great to plain awesome. It never takes center stage, but it really drives the songs home, while taking some jolly sideways here and there. Meanwhile, frontman Ludo Mariman screams his lungs out. He really means what he has to say, as given away by the intensity of his vocal performance. The "1-2-3-4" starting Fascist Cops is one of the greatest in the history of rock.
No-brainer music on a high level; The Kids' debut album has a timeless allure to it. Short, concise and to the point, this is rock 'n roll.
