Rating:
Genre:
Rock
Release Date: 05/11/2004
South Texas
punk trio the
Put Downs prefer the stripped-down, ultra-basic sound of early California
hardcore to any of
punk's other permutations. Their second album consists of 14 short and speedy three-chord thrashers, leavened with just enough melodic interest to keep from scaring off the
pop-
punk kids and the occasional hint of vintage early rock and roots influences.
Social Distortion circa
Mommy's Little Monster is a reasonable touchstone, although the atypically sweet-natured
"Geek Love" strays closer to a sugary vibe akin to the
Mr. T Experience. They also get bonus points for the terrific cover of
"Frozen Out," an unfairly obscure slice of teenage angst by the mid-'90s Albuquerque punks
Scared of Chaka, as well as a reverential version of
Dwight Yoakam's
"This Drinkin'll Kill Me" that completely avoids any sense of
cowpunk piss-take while revealing the punky rebelliousness that
Yoakam's comparatively polite original obscured. Singer and guitarist
Paul J.'s originals are largely up to the standards of those two fine covers, with the snarky put-downs and
Billy Zoom-style punkabilly riffing of
"Hard to Get" and the hoarse defiance of the anthemic opener
"Resolutions" particular standouts. In a world of off-the-shelf mall-punk bands,
No Worse Off maintains the music's essential spirit.
~Stewart Mason, All Music Guide
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