Various Artists
Tales From The Asphalt Dancefloor (released 2006)
Vodka Tonic Media - www.vodkatonicmedia.com
As much as the promo sheet, liners notes and more deny it, several of the six tracks on this disc qualify as dance punk... Or at least electropop punk. Of the bands, Destruction Unit, Sex For Cigarettes, Billy Druid's Atomic Gospel, Blanche Davidian, Digital Leather and The Cutters; only Blanche Davidian am I familiar with. I reviewed their full length album, "Attack Of The Killer", that features teh original version of "Petunia", featured here in a remix format. That brings me to this point, what punk can be called punk, if the songs have alternate "remix" versions. I know bands have gone back and re-hashed songs, but they are "remixes". I dunno, maybe I'm hung up on it, but when I hear "remix", I think boring. That aside, the bandsoffer up some good rock n roll, especially the first track from Destruction Unit. It sounds like something the Kllers wanted to play, but were too pretty for... The use of the organ, or is it moog, is predominate throughout the track...gives teh song a dancehall/discoteque feel. Like something you would find in a house music club, it's hip, upbeat and danaceable. Sex For Cigarettes' "Boom Stomp Crash" is nothing but electronic music, not easily identified as punk. I guess it's the catchy boogie opposite to Atom And His Package. Digital Leather offers something that is both live instruments and more organ/moog stuff on "Dance 'Til Dead", which sounds very similar to a Talking Heads song. Seriously! Maybe then the disc and bands on here could be reclassified as post punk, that's dancable! That's the best way to put it, danceable post punk... This is a good disc for a primer on Arizona based post-punk bands, that while some may argue is not dance punk, certainly makes me want to get up and shake my groove thang. -MG |
