I’ve been loudly singing (and, okay, in some instances, shouting) The Disconnects’ praises since around December of 2010. Coming to us from Neptune—the city, not the planet—The Disconnects are a straightforward, unrelenting punk rock ‘n’ roll machine. Their debut record, The Disconnects…Are Healthy, was an Aquarian ‘Disc Of The Week’ back in September, and for damn good reason. Luckily for us, they didn’t make us wait unbearably long for new stuff.
The record starts off with “Wake Up Dead” and “Parasite,” both of which I’ve had the pleasure of hearing played live over the last few months. These tracks are, as always, raw, brash, and true to punk’s roots—reminiscent of bands like The Dead Boys and the Ramones. You listen and you wanna get drunk and punch walls and fight people and stuff, it’s great. A lot of bands work really hard at sounding exactly like they do on recordings during their live shows…but The Disconnects do so unintentionally and without trying. I’m gonna go out on a limb here and say it’s probably because they play music the way it’s supposed to fucking be played—with feeling and ambition and without taking themselves too damn seriously. Track three, “Destroyer,” was all new to me, and I dug it. I may or may not have knocked a stack of records over while dancing to it in my room. I’d recommend listening to it in a dance-proofed environment…for safety purposes only.
I was less familiar with the other Jersey-based band Crazy & The Brains at the start of this album, but I’m assuming if The Disconnects are here to knock you the hell down, C&TB are here to help you up, dust you off, and hand you a beer. They have a lighter, more care-free style of punk rock; silly and young sounding, but also pretty damn smart when you break it all down and dig into all the technical stuff. They don’t mess around and they have a xylophone that’s pretty bitchin’. Their side of the split, “It’s Alright,” “New York City,” and a cover of the Ramones’ “Oh Oh I Love Her So” is just…fun! It’s upbeat, easy to dance to, and catchy as all hell. I really look forward to hearing more from them—I have their full-length, Don’t Need No Snacks, to dive into next. Kudos to Baldy Longhair Records—not only for releasing each album individually, but for putting both of these bands on one double-sided release. My eardrums could not possibly be happier.
Punk ain’t dead, everyone; it’s just passed out in a corner somewhere like you are after beating up your best friend and puking on your shoes. This split is like a Budweiser IV.
In A Word: MORE!!!!!!!!!!!
