THE GOOD THE BAD AND THE ZUGLY – Algorithm & Blues
There are few acts who have made a greater impact in the Norwegian punk field than The Good The Bad And The Zugly, and their list of achievements has only been expanded with the release of their fourth album – Algorithm & Blues – and if this isn’t a bona fide validation of the earlier statement, then I couldn’t tell you what is.
Commencing with the most Thunderstruck sounding of intros, Welcome To The Great Indoors is a phenomenal banger that wastes little time in delivering all the stacked goods in one fresh combo.
But that is only just the beginning, as they afterwards dive headfirst into Fake Noose, short, sharp and featuring both hefty vocals and an outstanding chorus, and that fierce energy continues to be carried over into Staying With The Trouble.
The on-surface inspirational interlude Follow Your Dreams quickly flips over into the amusingly harsh Kings Of Inconvenience, and that bluntness stays fresh through the catchy, riff-tastic (Oxygen) Mask.
F*** Life is another major focal point with it’s awesome, humorous writing and brain-gluing hooks. That also rings true for Corporate Rock, and What Have You Done For Me Lately whacks up the tempo to a berserk pace controlled by the tight rhythm section.
The Kids Are Alt-Right is the best in terms of content, as it takes a sharp look at the uncomfortable reality of the world’s ongoing political turmoil. F*** The Police is about as punk as you could possibly get and it’s a blast, and there’s one last quick breather before the guy wrap things up in exhilarant fashion with Requiem.
Jesus H Christ…if you want the proper fundamental example of how to make the perfect punk rock record, then no look further than this.
Algorithm & Blues is from start to finish a clear-cut, flawless product that swiftly establishes and limitlessly runs off a crazy momentum that gets your pulse racing to uncontrollable levels, and it helps that the performances are superb and the writing is unbelievably good, especially given how it can delve in both comedic and darker tones.
Ratings aren’t my forte, but in this situation, I feel like I need to break tradition and award this the full shebang of five stars. This album has set a considerable standard to be followed in 2020.
SMALL MUSIC SCENE 