Album Review
Fadeaways, The
Label: Black Power Records
  • 4/5
Reviewed by Janelle
Gritty hardcore punk from this three-piece (bassist Shawn, vocalist/guitarist Abner, and drummer Mark) made all the more rough by the production value, which is gloriously shoddy. Yet, this aspect fits the band's style and sound perfectly. In fact, perhaps a good way of describing for you all what this six-song EP sounds like is by comparing it to Lower Class Brats' first LP, 'Rather Be Hated than Ignored' ヨ the Texans' roughest, coarsest, fiercest, most lo-fi album ヨ especially during the second half of the EP: "No Words", "Killing Time", and "Just Like You". ...Only The Fadeaways are harder and tougher ヨ more hardcore than streetpunk. The marvelously gruff and kinda harsh vocals (that are comparable to a cross between LCB's Bones DeLarge ヨ especially on "No Words" ヨ and FEAR's main-man Lee Ving) complement the instrumentation wonderfully. And none of this is meant in a derogatory way, of course. Punk rock SHOULD be rough and nasty. Gotta go with the opening and closing numbers ("Sansabelt" and "Just Like You", respectively) as the record's strongest tracks; here, the band have managed to find just the right balance, as the songs are both alarmingly forceful and still rather catchy at the same time. Basically, this stuff ain't the so-called "punk" all these ridiculous kids are eating up on MTV and the radio (you know, the soft, cry-me-a-river, pop shit). No, friends, the music The Fadeaways are creating is mean, angry, and crude ヨ all wonderful attributes for a true hardcore/punk band to possess. And no, I will not do the expected thing and say something along the lines of how this band won't be "fading away" any time soon...sorry...

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