Reviews

The big question that’s been plaguing everyone these days (well, probably not everyone but maybe a few people) is…is punk rock dead? Common Rider and Against All Authority don’t seem to think so, but then the next question would be, are Common Rider and Against All Authority dead? Fuck no; I’m sick and tired of all the emo bands and emo albums plaguing my life. This is refreshing and fun and it doesn’t matter if it’s original and shockingly inventive because it’s really not about that.  It’s impossible to write a musically critical, serious review for a release that doesn’t want to be serious.
 
Against All Authority is up first with four songs, the first three being pretty good, and the last one being pretty bad.  “Lied To,” “War Machine Breakdown” and “Barricades” are fast paced, gripping punk rock the way it’s supposed to be.  “World Dominator,” is just unclean and altogether not a great track.  However, the saving grace happens to be the next couple songs by Common Rider, “Where The Waves Are The Highest and “Dogtown,” which are both genuinely entertaining; the kind of music you listen to on road trips with the top rolled down on the rusty convertible you paid about five hundred bucks for that doesn’t exceed fifty miles per hour.  “Blue Spark” and “The Only Ones” are also pretty good, but not as energetic as the first two.
 
This split has so much spark it could light a match.  Horrible joke. No, wait not even constituting as a joke.  These two bands work well together, each with a distinctly different sound, both interesting and stimulating. I ’m going to go listen to some Coltrane now and take a nap.