Outta My Head- The Brats EP

"I'm mad, real mad, I wanna be dead, turn off the light, turn on Black Flag"

In a scene currently filled to the brim with third rate Sick Of It All clones and rooster-headed fashion obsessed crybabies, this EP is a welcome change of pace. The cover features both Descendents and Teen Idles posters, and that about accurately sums up the sound, with some of the Germs' snottiness thrown in for good measure. The Brats put the punk rock back in hardcore, angrily throwing in our faces that "all your Cro-Mags rip off bands sound the same."

Germany's the Brats feature former Surf Nazis Must Die vocalist Florian, and the music and production of this record are similar to the flawless "Anti Everything" EP released by that band last year, though the Brats are a little slower. The drums sound huge, and the guitars are trebly with a light distortion, reminiscent of the early Dischord catalogue (Teen Idles, Government Issue). Florian's vocals are high pitched and snotty in the early 80's California style, and his lyrics are often tongue in cheek rampages about depression, girls, scenesters, girls, technology, and girls. There's also a surfy instrumental that brings to mind early Dead Kennedy's or Descendents, and while the majority of this record is fast, pounding, catchy hardcore sounding very much like the Teen Idles with DRI's Eric Brecht on drums, the final track, "Girl...You Hurt," has a late 70's California power pop sound to it, similar to the Descendents with a keyboard. I wish all current hardcore records were this good. This is the way great punk rock is supposed to sound- fast, sloppy, raw, angry, snotty and ugly. Keep it coming, guys.