The Subway Surfers “Three Chords and a Mission” combines what made punk rock great from both sides of the Atlantic. Combining elements of The Barracudas, The Gizmos, The Fleshtones and Dead Kennedys to come up with something convincing isn’t easy. Just listen to the squillions of alleged PR hacks that are hauling their racket around the planet. Incidentally I include several of those from back then in that squall too. These guys should be at the Rebellion festival in Blackpool this weekend.
Hailing from Jersey City in the Garden State, there’s an element of this that reminds me of The Dictators demos. TCM isn’t a career statement but its bloody good fun. As you may be aware, authenticity alone doesn’t cut it with me. These guys are evidently old enough to know better and that’s what makes it. They imbibe the familiarity to the point where I think, if I had a band, I’d be pretty pleased if they sounded half as cool as this.
Among the ladies proudly sporting their SS buttons on the inside of the digipack is Ms Miriam Linna so this also signifies a certain pedigree. And what’s that riff on “Last Man Standing” again, and top marks to Fuzzco for his Peter Zaremba-like singing? I thought “Robot Love” was going to be The Valves song but it’s not and it includes a guest spot by Cynthia Santiglia.
“Punk Rock Casualty” closes the set and will appeal to anyone in various stages of that condition. There’s a roll call of credits that takes such an honour one step beyond the CD jacket too. You’ll like these guys because they’re doing this for all the right reasons. Is there any higher accolade?
The album is on the Deep Eddy imprint out of Austin, TX.
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