OFF! - OFF! Album Review
A fantastically executed maelstrom of noise that’ll have you begging for more.
rating: 4
WebsiteFacebook Release date: May 8th Its always exciting when a supergroup is formed, isnt it? You feel all warm inside, like as if youve just poured a cauldron of boiling-how stew down your throat; you feel all dizzy like your first ever drag of a cigarette; youre shaking like a crack addict in rehab; and the anticipation is practically oozing out of you, dribbling earwax out of your ears, squeezing tears from your eyes, frothy spit bubbling from your mouth. Or is that just me? Theres something about the word supergroup that makes me all itchy. Like as if Ive just been stung by ten wasps or something. In a good way, though. Its as if the members are saying: Yeah, were just going to dabble with something new for a while. Were so good at what we do that were just going to, you know, have a little jam with friends who happen to be pretty good musicians as well and see where it takes us. Not that were saying were gonna be awesome, but we probably are gonna be. Thats what happens, see. Renegades, the lot of them. Musicians. It just makes me think their original projects were awesome so how much more awesome is this new supergroup going to be? Gives me sleepless nights. Supergroups stretch back as long ago as 1965, with The Steampacket being probably the first supergroup to actually show the benefits of joining forces with like-minded, equally as creative and popular musicians and then bands have followed them throughout the years; a few examples: Journey, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Foo Fighters (yes, theyre a supergroup), A Perfect Circle, Angels & Airwaves, The Damned Thingsthe list goes on. So, as you can see, a supergroup isnt a new thing in fact, the origins of the supergroup is probably older than you and I combined but years havent soured the formula that makes a supergroup so exciting: the amalgamation of members of different sounding but equal-thinking bands is something that creates a bit of a buzz for fans, and dare I say it, the musicians themselves. I suppose being in a supergroup is like being let loose on the town by the missus for the night you can do what you want and if no-one likes it, who cares? Youve got a woman back home whos given you permission. You can just go back to her if your antics are too much for people to bear and carry on with your marriage (marriage being the original band). A very trusting woman, indeed. OFF! are one of those bands that made me shake all over and feel a bit dizzy etc. And why wouldnt they? Made up of members of Black Flag, Circle Jerks, Rocket From The Krypt and Red Kross, the band look awesome on paper and gratefully, theyve got a sound to match. The band first formed in 2009 and released their debut album, First Four EPs, in late 2010. The debut was everything youd expect fast, fuming, a mix of punk/hardcore, short and snappy riffs, catchy lyrics. A lot of people rated the album, it gained good reviews from the likes of the LA Times, Pitchfork, Allmusic and PunkNews and it was deserved praise. Some supergroups get their arses kissed because of what theyve done before and people rate the group on the bands original projects but OFF! deserved every good word that was typed their way and the second album couldnt come sooner enough for a lot of people. But, the band have finally released it. And they havent contracted second-album-syndrome at all.
The opener, Wiped Out, has a DIY feel. The fuzzy, downtuned, jerking guitars, along with the fast-paced, rhythmic drumming really just make you want to go to the darkest, smelliest rock-club you can find and just bang your head all night, swigging cheap whisky. The vocals of Keith Morris lash out vibes of fuck you and really add a punk/anarchistic style to the track. http://youtu.be/o873-vSIau4 Borrow and Bomb opens up with Morris screaming borrow and bomb over a frenetic, raw guitar and sweat-drenched drums. It ends after 46 seconds but thats all the band need to get their point across. Political? About drug-use? Who knows, perhaps well never know but the track really does stay in your head like some dirty amphetamine: you can take the track for what it is but theres one thing everyone will agree it is. And that is that its simply, good. http://youtu.be/DCxS4T8RDCw Harbor Freeway Blues has an abrasive guitar that washes over everything and strains out the anger of the drums, leaving everything hanging on the washing line, until Morris drags them off and onto the floor, stamping and tearing them apart with his pissed-off vocals. The track doesnt hinge on his vocals but they definitely help in making the track as rowdy as it is. I Need One (I Want One) ends the album and it finishes things in the same way the album has gone: angry, fast, fun, swinging punches everywhere. Morris abrasively screamed yeah at the end of the track, which occurs alongside a playful laugh, shows the bands serious side and their more fun side. Something which the whole album has been about. After all, whats the point of having fun if youre not enjoying yourself. At 16 minutes long, this album will barnstorm you through your front door, chase you around the streets, trip you up and sneer at you, trip you up somemore, then chase you back into your house, locking the door shut behind it. Youll find yourself sat on your bed wondering what the hell just happened, so youll start to play the album again just for the thrill of the ride. A fantastically executed maelstrom of noise thatll have you begging for more.