(DL52) BLACKSTAR BRIGADE - They Think
They Can Knock Us Down
"Black Star Brigade were a street
punk band from Austin, Texas, who were active from 1999 to 2006.
They released just one 7in EP and one album (on CD only) during their
time together, both issued only in the US.
This is the first time the long player, which came out in 2003, has been
released on vinyl, and also its first release in Europe.
It kicks off with The Call, whose chorus “fight, fight, fight, fight” is
a frantic call to arms, and the pace barely lets for the next 45
minutes.
Their high-energy street punk is the kind which leaves you exhausted by
the end of a gig, but Black Star Brigade weren’t all about tempo.
There’s plenty of melody among the screaming guitar solos, rat-a-tat
drumming, and wandering baselines.
Front man Deuce’s vocals are raw and impassioned, and his band mates
backing lend them a real gang feeling.
The Rancid comparisons are obvious but I’d also liken Black Star Brigade
to The Unseen, Swingin’ Utters and The Briggs (remember them?).
The track listing of this reissue differs slightly from the original
release, but adds four previously unreleased tracks, and the music still
sounds energised, fresh and exciting.
Rancid comparisons
For me the standouts are the back-to-back This City and Wrecked, where
they ease off the gas a bit, and the catchy as hell A Shot Rang Out,
where they sound more Rancid-like than ever.
In fact, if you like Rancid’s early records I can almost guarantee
you’ll like this. 8/10."
By Gary Welford
