These five young Britons from Derby in the East Midlands skillfully pound out loud and angry mid-speed punk with a message — against war, nuclear testing, espionage, the army, Maggie Thatcher and suchlike. The playing is solid, straightforward and occasionally notably better than ordinary, with flashes of originality and imagination; the songs may be simple, but at least they’re songs, not merely riffs. Lyrics, though rudimentary, are better than some of the competition’s.
The Last Call borrows liberally from the Clash’s early stylings, while Caution in the Wind takes the fury down a peg and tries a more subtle, ambitious approach to social commentary in the lyrics (“The Best of Us,” “Hate Circulation.” On both albums, three-dimensional arrangements expand on the band’s subtler assets without losing any power.
The eponymous third album is a compilation of singles. Rise Up is the product of a re-formed lineup.