AIRFIX KITS- FLEX TIME 7"

Another Deranged release to review, they have been cranking out tons of great stuff in the last few months and it seems that every time I turn around or read a review of a new hyped band, they are on Deranged. So Airfix Kits. Ex-members of Giant Haystacks, who never really made my ball hair stand on end but had some fans nonetheless. I read some Minutemen comparisons and name-drops when reading about this band. BOLD statement and not generally used seeing as they are the MC Hammer of punk rock (You Can't Touch This). Maybe that tainted my listening of this but this record did not make the panties drop. The guitar sound has maybe a slight Minutemen feel to it but there wasn't enough play between the bass and guitar to justify such a comparison. It's like saying that your band has Jesus Christ playing bass; not because Jesus doesn't exist but because if he did he'd be in the most raging metal band shredding the gnar on his golden ax adorned with diamond studded frets. Regardless of this, this band was set up for failure immediately for being compared to one of the best bands ever. The insruments are kinda cool but the vocals are super bland, no passion. Sounds like Captain Sensible or Paul Weller singing when they have a cold and just don't give a shit. First Deranged release in awhile that didn't make me have multiple orgasms. That and the Burning Love LP was just Ok.

2/5

Download: http://www.punksandskins.com/dl.php?go=http://kamikazetailspin.blogspot.com/2009/12/airfix-kits-flex-time-7.html

-Davey

RED DONS-FAKE MEET FAILURE

Ok people I've been gone for some time now but I now work at a record store and should have new records to review constantly. This hot little platter serves up some new fresh tunes from Red Dons who have been turning heads and stroking shafts with their catchy punk tunes with a slew of impressive releases. This record will please those fans of Red Dons but also throw them a few curve balls, like a beautiful intelligent woman who ends up being a transvestite; she's still hot, it's just different now.... Anyway! Red Dons play their rockin catchy tunes but throw in some new elements. At times it gets a little surfy and the song "Pariah" sounds like it could have been an Adolescents song, at least musically. The singer's voice continues to sound like a fine silk being slowly draped across a barely legal teenage girl's body, not relying on the "whoas" so much this time around. Bottom line if you dug their previous material this will titillate you with familiarity and keep you interested (like your cousin you accidentally hooked up before you realized who they were and you still think about them from time to time). If you haven't heard them, this is a great place to start.

-Davey

5/5

www.myspace.com/reddons

REGULATIONS-TO BE ME LP

Hello there folks. It's me again. Here to review the latest installment of Swedish punk rock. The Regulations have been blowing minds and penetrating young girls for quite some time now. When I heard "To Be Me" their new full length was coming out, I was very excited yet a little apprehensive much like Gary Glitter's first encounter with beating his meat to child pornography. I say this because their "Different Needs" ep was their most recent and to me their least impressive record. Spun it once and thought eh. Second listen was a lot more into it. Third listen caught in the middle. It's got all the things you love about the Regulations, still rockin tunes in that early Black Flag/Circle Jerks style with some interesting little guitar hooks thrown in but overall the songs just aren't as memorable on this record. A little more melodic which is nice but it sounds more like less energy as opposed to trying to make it catchier. A few weird slower tracks thrown in which usually I'm down with but it's like Helen Keller trying to bake a cake from scratch: It ends up coming out wrong but I appreciate the effort to try something new. The direction they were going on "Electric Guitar" was fantastic and I wish that this record was more reflective of that.

3.5/5 - It's good but it gets this when comparing it to their two other LPs

-Davey

download: http://toxicbreedsfunhouse.blogspot.com/2009/12/regulations-to-be-me.html