Track Listing
1. Time marches on 2. Land of the free? 3. World 4. F*ck authority 5. Something wrong with me 6. Enemy 7. My god 8. Twist of fate 9. Who's on your side 10. It's up to you 11. Set me free 12. Divine intervention 13. WTO 14. Anyone listening Year: 2001 Label: Epitaph - Official Site |
Pennywise - 'Land of the free?' - By M. Freeman
Punk rock albums with a political focus are hardly a rare concept, but when it's this damn good, it's very hard to argue. Pennywise are arguably among the most consistent of their punk counterparts as far as strong albums go, and this may well be their best yet. The battle cries on this album reach out as far as Bad Religion and Anti Flag have done in previous efforts and while these anarchistic political blow by blow accounts may not appeal to everyone, the music definitely should. 'Time Marches On' and the album's title track are the two fastest tracks on offer, and the most aggressive at that, each owning a biting chorus and an addictive vocal onslaught from Jim Lindberg which is stronger than ever before. All Pennywise albums have their own anthemic track (eg: About Time had 'Same Old Story') and Land Of The Free? is no different with the brilliant 'F*ck Authority'. This is a song which would have had an almighty impact at the height of the punk explosion in the mid seventies. Racial and cultural tensions are profound in many tracks, with 'Enemy' yet another instant classic, featuring warping guitar rhythms and heavy chugging basslines which are a constant and growing part of this album. The whole record is a viscious attack on corruption, greed, political tension and such like, and for the whole forty minutes it lasts, there is not one let up in angsty speed driven brilliance. Every single track has it's own mind blowing chorus and verse structure and they too contain some inspirational lyrics that are constantly up to scratch. All the previous Pennywise album's qualities are bunched together to produce an album of pure quality, an album with absolutely no weak points. Fourteen tracks of sheer hard punk excellence, here is a band that have kept to their roots, only modifying further their sound with each release, and if there is ever another Pennywise album as good as this, it might just be excelling perfection. Proof that Pennywise are a cut above the rest. Metal Obsessive Grade: 98% |