Bad Brains – Banned In DC

I don’t know why, but I missed out on early American hardcore punk, except for the Dead Kennedys. I suppose I ought to be ashamed to admit it, but this is the first time I have heard Bad Brains (with the exception of one track). But although they are traditionally pigeon-holed as a hardcore punk band, Bad Brains have encompassed a whole range of musical styles, including reggae and heavy metal.

Most of the music on this compilation is really awesome (awesome as in terrifying, not as in “awesome, dude” – though I suppose the latter also applies even if I would express it differently), music you not so much listen to or, for that matter, write about, as submit to. But it isn’t stupid music – listen, for example, to the continuous, angst-creating changes of key in “Regulator” and “Reignition”. You can’t do that if you can only play three chords.

Some of the later songs in a more heavy metal style don’t stand out quite as much, but even with riffs which sound a bit formulaic there is still HR’s unique voice over it all. And while I appreciate the reggae songs (especially the monumental “I Love I Jah”), they aren’t really BB at their best.

As a whole, though, brilliant – best tracks are “I Against I”, “Reignition”, “Regulator”, the loping, rap-infused “With The Quickness” and “Big Takeover”. And “How Low Can A Punk Get”.