Earthboy roll, dub, ‘60s

Earthbo garage and ska

Rah Rah are also heard
Earthboy (AKA throughout,
Michael) attempts making for
to create the long enough variety
lost companion to the Beatles’ Set, Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club to extend over these 22 upbeat songs. Vocalist and main
Band, ’cept it turns into unintentional hilarity. The band bio songwriter Tim Armstrong sing-speaks socially conscious
doesnt help, as it tale-tells the story 3 lyrics with gravelling passion

  
   
  
  
  
  
   
   
   
   
  
  
 
 
 

reminiscent of Shane MacGowan at
times, Fugazi and The Clash at
others, especially when co-vocalist
Lars Frederikson (or one of the

® many guests) chimes in with rough
harmony. Yes, this is great music,
drawing from the fire of rock 'n’
roll past, while experimenting and

of Earthboy’s evolution from a
suburban Toronto basement to the
nine months (!) of studio work that
is represented-here, and which reeks
of pretention. Other tracks show a
Collective Soul/ pseudo Modern
Rock radio fascination with Sheryl
Crow's drums and Monty Python-
esque lyrics grooving along expressing its future, and

succeeding in keeping its hopes

alive.

harmlessly with catchy beats and
hooks that keep your toes tapping.
Earthboy himself sounds like he
needs to either get out more or get
rid of those Lenny Kravitz
records—before it’s too late. Hey
Earthboy, where’s Lenny now?

Rancid
Life won't wait
Epitaph
While tearing through speakers

D.B.S.

I is for Insignificant

Sudden Death
These local boys have a great
drummer but uh...I think his
arms are gonna fall off soon
because no one could keep this
pace up. But hey, that’s the
urgency of youth, and if you

equal parts punk rock energy don't have energy to burn when |
and reggae skank, Rancid

brings consciousness to the

yer in high school you never
will. The 13 songs bleed into
each other after awhile. Green
Day/ Buzzcocks influenced
pop-punk mixed with heavier
post-punk grinding scream-
alongs for the kids. A typical
teenager's problems, brought to
life by an energetic band, with a

masses once more. Their
manifesto best put by the band
themselves (with help from
reggae star Buju Banton) on the
title track, as the exuberant
chorus the vision is an new world
ng and tell your sisters
ddas! echoes in yer generic sound and a heart of

ces of ‘50s rock ’n’ gold proudly worn on sleeve.

July 1998 Page 18 ceedee reviews