Bangs
Call and Response CDEP - Kill Rock Stars

Whatever happened to my punk rock music? Not this quasi-punk that is on the radio now, the kind with sugary, Seventeen Magazine cute band alert appeal. And no, not the Oi! shaved head, kick you in the face with a huge black boot hardcore. Where is the intelligent punk that still charges the adrenaline and the brain? Olympia’s Bangs are striving to put some brainwaves in your shake. ¶ While the Bangs aren’t a punk rock epiphany, they are an old-fashioned skrappy rock band. Rough enough to have garage roots but still too Northwest punk to fit into the buzz in G word. Thank God. In the Bangs you have a rockin’ band that gives the impression that they don’t give a shit what the rest of the world thinks is hip and cool. They wanna rock, and do it better than most. ¶ With female vocals and over-driven guitars, the band fits in well with other Olympia punks in the past decade. The track “New Scars” is the highlight of the record. Fleshy guitar leads the way to catchy, sassy vocals belting out smart lyrics. The track “I Want More” is a call to arms to those lobotomized by the media. Thick slabs of punk guitar and fervor create an aura of intellectual angst, with the simple message of “Think for Yourself.” ¶ The record’s tight production and bright guitars come courtesy of Unwound’s Justin Trosper. The Bangs pull together a solid punk rock record with Call and Response, carrying the torch of hard, smart Northwest punk. (Pat Wensink)
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