Blanks 77

Killer Blanks (Radical)
by Al Quint

Blanks 77 have been causing quite a stir with their wild, sometimes out of control live shows and now, after an endless string of 7″, 10″, and compilation releases, they finally have a full-length album out in the US (Killer Blanks originally came out on a German label). Unabashed retro punk, a mixture of the “spirit of ’77” that they sing about, along with the infectious UK and oi-inspired sounds of Cockney Rejects, Blitz, and GBH. All of this is certain to inspire manic pogo fits, the antidote to self-righteous, mentally and musically-constipated drivel. Snappy, catchy three chord blasts that exhibit a deceptively-skilled musical level. While some punk bands use their music as a soapbox to change the world, or present an agenda, The Blanks have their own agenda – to get as drunk as possible as often as possible! Okay, that’s not entirely true, as there are laments about police abuse, crooked politicians, and religious brainwashing, but the Blanks tend to take more of a “fuck it all, let’s have a good time” approach. The disc is packaged with a nifty 3-D cover that has the Blanks’ spiky-headed cartoon mascot shooting straight at ya.