Anti-Flag – A New Kind of Army – Review

Anti-Flag

A New Kind of Army (Go-Kart/A-F)
by Scott Hefflon

Anti-Flag: One of the catchiest, hardest workin’, nicest, most-DIY punk rock bands I don’t like. While their tunes are catchy in a fake, Brit. snarling way (very few Americans can say/shout the word Oi! without sounding like posers), and they blend slammable punk with moments of ska guitar and A LOT of chant-a-long choruses, I just can’t help being annoyed by trite lyrics about unity. Sure, it’s a great idea, but the yapping lyrics never really go anywhere besides having you chant “unity” and “fuck this, fuck that.” Bad political lyrics by halfwit punks are as sickening to me as the empty platitudes of smiley-faced politicians with perfectly-molded hair. It’s just a different fashion statement, and neither one is really saying anything profound. But then again, I like politics in my music like I like Red Hot sauce on my ice cream. I’m also spoiled cuz I grew up on the Dead Kennedys, but they wrote weird and inventive riffs and were a helluva lot more creative with the form than most. By a long shot. But Anti-Flag are energetic punks with their hearts in the right place, and they put on a great live show, as long as you ignore the stage banter between songs.
(PO Box 20 Prince St. Sta. New York, NY 10012)