THE SCARRED – At Half Mast

“Dude, where the fuck are the coffee grounds?” James screamed from the kitchen.

“Right there, you blind jackass!” My brother yelled back.

I looked up from the patch I was sewing on my pants — “Both of you, shut the hell up! I’m trying to listen to this!”

Note to self: never try to review an album with your friends. They’ll speak over the music and say the dumbest things, such as, “Coffee is so un-punk rock,” and, “This band sounds like Green Day before they sold out.” I partially agree with my friend, but I can’t sit here pretending I’ve listened to every single punk band on the planet. I’d be a fool to compare The Scarred to any other bands, because they are so much more than just another band. Simply put, they sound like punk, the way punk is supposed to sound.

At first listen, you might think that this trio is a UK band, but they’re actually from California, so you might as well play the whole CD once more to see how badly you were mistaken. At Half Mast is chock full of songs with catchy riffs and vocals you can sing along with by the second chorus. If you are a fan of punk rock in general, then get off your fat ass, stop drinking that nasty coffee, and buy this album as soon as possible. You have no choice. That’s an order, soldier!

(Basement Records, PO Box 511, La Habra, CA 90633-0511)