Labels: Fat Wreck Chords
Review by: Thomas Strawbridge
Punk. Rock. PUNK ROCK!!! Taking the genre name very literally Western Addiction serve up a healthy dose of both elements, with a slight hardcore tinge and vocals I’d describe as more raw than gruff. Maybe melodic hardcore but that is splitting hairs. It’s the ballpark, anyway.
You know what? This isn’t really for me, but it is both absolutely any good music, and a really decent album. Everything hits right: the songs are concise, the album is long enough to have dynamic range in its own right but still plays at pace. Rages, while perfectly performed, perfectly produced. I would normally rail against that last element especially when I notice it in a punk record, but this is entirely in keeping. Well done the guy who is named in the blurb.
Speaking of which, full credit to Fat Wreck (by far the biggest label from this batch of reviews) for a 3 line accompanying email instead sheets of A4 shit. Its not hard is it, especially when you’re dealing with a record that speaks (shouts) for itself. And then busts you round the chops for good measure. This is second time around since 2003 with time in a host of other bands in between; definitely something to be said for experience.
Now, personally, I’m off to dig out my Black Cross records, but if you fancy something decent from a band that didn’t break up nearly 15 years ago, this is a really, really good shout.