It takes a lot of balls to attempt to do what this New York based Punk band are doing, one wrong step and they are a retro laughing stock, or an unwanted nostalgia party piece for those going ungraciously into their 30's. You see 'Lower East Side Stitches' are attempting to replicate the look, style, sounds and attitude of Punk circa 1977/78. More importantly for a New York band, they are not going the 'Ramones' route, this is pure 'Sex Pistols' territory.
The Sex Pistols in their own, vomit crusted little way had a profound impact upon the music world. Far from the most talented of the scene, they cursed and appalled their way into the free worlds conscience, helping to sweep away stale Prog and Adult rock bands, and reintroduce youth into the concept of rebellion. Of course it was short lived, but for a while there...
Punk may have survived and evolved, but as a rule the political, changing the world attitude has long since left it. The Pistols calling The Queen fascist, or advocating Anarchy may seem tame today, but they were dangerously subversive statements at the time, as in a different way were the more talented efforts by The Clash recalling riots in London's inner city.
Lower East Side Stitches have the simplistic sound down to perfection, they have a look so exact that Spike Lee hired them to play a late seventies punk band in his movie 'Summer of Sam' and maybe most refreshingly they are at least attempting to pull us back to the simplistic political posturing of punks glory years.
Lets start with the music, because for the majority of this 14 track, 37 minute album, they are just about damn perfect. Riffs are simple, loud and distorted, opener 'Down the Drain' had me reminiscing on the art of pogoing within 20 seconds of its first playing. Lyrically this is spot on as well, and singer Mick Brown puts a force ten sneer into his voice ala Johnny Rotten. The rest of the band happily shout the chorus along with him. Cracking start.
Up next is the albums best track, and the one most likely to get them some major attention, with its political aspirations and sing-a-long chorus. 'NYC is Dead', is the band's rant against Giuliani's new city that often sleeps, with its Disneyland feel. Yes a band pining for the days of being able to drink on the streets, buy drugs at every corner and enough porno theatres to accommodate locals and tourists alike. Of course calling a right wing mayor a Nazi in 1999 is not quite as radical as comparing Royalty with fascism when the majority of the public were still all too aware of the second world war. That said I don't see anyone else trying anything, and besides this is such a fine damn track.
The album as a whole is like a pay by the hour prostitute, its damn fine at the start but towards the end, you kinda wish you could cut it short, and it's way too top heavy, all the best tracks up front. It could easily have afforded to be 3 tracks lighter.
So they have the music, looks and attitude of a bygone era, wrapped up in an interesting and marketable product. The question then is this going to attract newcomers or old-timers or both. In other words is this a well-put together novelty act, or a genuine, valid band. The answer is a little bit of both to be honest, if you try to swallow it totally without reference to the past then it seems a little naïve and out of place, that said these are not covers, this is original music, that is on the whole very well written and executed.
So if you remember when safety pins, glue and very, very spiky hair were the thing then you may get a lot of pleasure from this album. If on the other hand you missed that whole thing, and were raised on the 'Green Day's of the world, then check it out anyway, you may learn something. If you prefer Mariah Carey and think Barbara Walters is a very special lady, then you are at the wrong damn site and you need to leave, nothing to see here. Damn fine album, I just wish my ankles were strong enough to pogo this hard.

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