Closet Monster - Killed The Radio Star

Closet Monster- Killed The Radio Star
This politically minded Canadian band from the early part of the millennium, played fast punk rock laced with strong harmonies and melodies.

The first track, Battle Cry For A Better World, is fast punk rock with yobbish singalongs but with some great melody running through it, giving it a Kid Dynamite meets The Explosion feel. The Great Mall Explosion, with its brattish lead vocals, nails the poppier side of the first Kid Dynamite album. The Anti-Racist Singalong with its 'na na na na na' vocal lines, has a Dickies feel.

A lot of these songs are really good in isolation but the general lack of variety means that this album does get a little tiring and loses some of its impact, although the piano led Get Up Kids balladry of Melody's Song is a welcome respite.

The message is key for music like this, and is almost as important as the music. Some of the liner notes and lyrics are good. I particularly like 'Music is art, Ideas come from inspiration, Information creates awareness' which can be found in the inlay while The Great Mall Explosion's lyrics about the selling out of punk rock are good. However, the inlay also states 'the scent of revolution is in the air' (no, it isn't) which possibly explains why too many of the lyrics are in your face and idealistic. These lyrics would have been right up my street when I was in my twenties but now I'm in my forties, I'm not so sure as my ideals have changed. The music's appeal has waned similarly too, I suppose.