There’s something new from the Bavarian Forest. No, no tree has fallen, but the label Down the Drain from Frauenau has a new release in the works, and it comes with a special treat. WHITE FLAG graces this 7-inch vinyl record. It comes in a stylish gatefold cover and features two songs from the young band THE HOLY KINGS on the other side.
Which side of the record is the first side is not revealed, as there is a side 1 and a side A. Thus, both bands are treated equally. It’s a grassroots democratic thing.
Let’s let the younger band speak first.
The quartet from Regensburg has been around since 2006. In the last six years, the band has played with some scene greats like US Bombs, Sham 69, or Deadline. One automatically assumes that the band has something to offer. They might, but the two songs just don’t really take off. Everything sounds thin and somehow recorded through cotton. No pressure, no catchy melodies, nothing that stands out. That’s a bit shocking, to be honest. It can’t be the vinyl, as it plays cleanly. What the Regensburg band is doing, which they probably want to call Street-KickAss-Punkrock, is simply unremarkable. I had hoped for more.
Well, let’s see if the old-timers from WHITE FLAG can convince us.
WHITE FLAG, from California, founded in 1982 as a counterpoint to the influential band Black Flag, have been around almost continuously since then and cleverly pull punk rock through the wringer. They do their thing quite cleverly and might be described as the Me First and the Gimme Gimmes of punk rock for those who don’t know the band. This band brings the beautiful original composition “Ich liebe die Hosen der Toten Hosen” to vinyl on this record. They already deserve applause for this title alone.
And indeed, WHITE FLAG rocks the house again here. Just two songs, but they have everything that the Regensburg band is missing. Melody, catchy hooks, pressure, it’s all there, and then wrapped in beautiful street punk ’77 punk-pop-punk attire. It’s fun and makes you want to hit the “Repeat” button (my turntable has that). Two great songs that ultimately save the record.
Not to be overlooked is the record cover, which was designed by Raymond Pettibon. Raymond was a founding member of Black Flag.
