Dave Smalley & The Bandeleros – Join The Outsiders (Little Rocket Records, 2018)

Well now. Many of you will know of Dave Smalley as the legendary front man who sang for a variety of well known bands such as DYS (Department of Youth Services according the American Hardcore book by Steve Blush, which I suppose is a pretty obvious acronym once you are in the know, but up to that point I guess it’s pretty opaque), Dag Nasty, All and Down By Law. The Bandeleros line-up is filled out by three Spanish guys and an Argentinian. As the bandcamp page rightly points out, “There are no borders and no oceans too wide enough to play good music if people can connect perfectly with those who have had similar experiences in the music, touring, knowing really nice people, understanding different cultures and screaming for a change all together”.

I’ll spend no time shitting you. You need to hit play on this immediately, hence this player is up here rather than at the bottom of the review:

Fuck, man. I wish I’d had the time to listen to this properly before the end of last year, because if I had, I can guarantee this would have been a pretty high entry in my end of the year top ten. But I guess I properly shat the bed on this one, Johnny come lately loser that I am. Apologies to Dave and the Bandeleros and to Graeme Philliskirk at Little Rocket Records for my tardiness: I hang my head in shame.

Anyway, you’ll obviously have read the list of bands that demonstrates Smalley’s pedigree. The level of genius that made records such as Can I Say and Wig Out at Denko’s into Dischord classics is well in evidence here, as is the classic pop-punk edge of All. There’s (for me at least) also an incredibly emotive rousing feeling that puts me in mind of the first LP by The Loved Ones (Keep Your Heart), and I dare say that if you dig the classic moments of the careers of 7 Seconds and Bad Religion, then you will absolutely adore this record. Absolutely no bullshit, mate. This is an out and out high-octane banger. It SLAPS from end to end. You see that barn? Burned maaaate. Unadulterated fiyah. Tony of Nurgle rating: 10/10.

You can buy this as a digital download from bandcamp or on tri-coloured red white and blue vinyl from Little Rocket Records

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