Search - Leftover Crack :: Mediocre Generica

The Saviors of Punk

Mike Rhakabit | Long beach | 07/03/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Times are tough for all the punks these days. Every crappy little SoCal band thinks they're political geniuses just cause they hate Bush, The Dead Kennedys turned into a parody, The Ramones are being used to market everything from cell phones to Pepsi, and the few good bands left are just making the same albums over and over again. So, in the new millenium, my hope hanged on two bands that were putting out genius music: McLusky and Propagandhi. Well, McLusky broke up, and Propagandhi turned into a metal band. Just when I seriously considered slitting my wrists and calling it quits, a friend of mine slips me an album by a band called Choking Victim. The front cover intrigued me, and when he told me that part of the album was a kind of death metal, I was sold. I quickly put it into rotation, and I was not disappointed. Not the greatest album, but still damn good. So, next he gives me Leftover Crack. Now, I had heard of these guys before, and after The Unseen and The Casualties, I wasn't interested in another "Street Punk" band. But, when he told me some of the same guys were in Choking Victim, I gave it a listen.



Wow. At first I didn't rate it up there with "No Gods/No Managers." But, as I listened to it more and more, the genius began growing on me. Part of it is that it doesn't fall into any neat category. And I don't mean that to sound like every God-awful alternative/metalcore band that ever breathed, I mean these guys are legitimately original. The songs are a glorious mix of metal, punk, ska, reggae, dub, hardcore, and classical. It could have been a disaster, it could have been boring, but Stza pulls it off. He isn't talented enough to pull it all together and make it boring, but he is talented enough to keep it from falling apart completely, and it's that fine line that makes this album so great. It stays true to punk form, in it's apathetic violence, but never goes off and preaches. At the same time, no one else is doing music like this. No one. And while LOC's second L.P. didn't quite match up to this one, it still was pretty good. If there is a band right now that could pull punk up out of the current funk it's in, Leftover Crack is that band. An undisputed classic."

The good, the bad, and the Leftover Crack

See about me | North | 05/05/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"30% punk, 30% ska, 30% metal, and a 10% discount at your local record retailer. Leftover Crack may be eclectic, but the elements constructing their energetic crossover punk rock juxtapose as logically and naturally as caffeine and Mondays. Their songs are typically short and simple, but their variation (Classical interludes abound) and attitude more than compensate. Stza's vocals are, well, limited, so he resorts to a witchy shriek similar to any given black metal band. Stangely, this vocal style fits all the various musical elements Leftover Crack explores, due to the fact he tones the knife-gargling scream down to rough singing on less vicious songs. Some would call his vocals obnoxious, but I'm pretty sure that's intended.



Interesting songs? Atheist Anthem is notable for the coolest and probably only anti-straight edge chorus ever. I think the awesomeness of Stop the Insanity speaks for itself; "Let's kill the cops, the CIA, the FBI, the PTA, The NFL, the MRC, let's kill you and let's kill me!" With The Sickness is an odd grindcore experiment, clocking in at just under a minute. Born To Die is probably the catchiest song on the album, with an infectious ska feel and upbeat bass outro. Finally, the pleasant diddy Rock Steady Beat ends Mediocre Generica on a fun note, with island-possessed guitars, organs, trumpets, and even a harmonica.



I can't really conclude this review. It's a good album, I liked it, listen to it.

- Thus says the Pellington"

Unforgettable

matt brown | houston | 06/28/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"left over crack is pretty much undescribable to someone who has never heard them. imagine the fury of grimple, the blast-beat drumming of dillinger, and the political critique of DK combined. the result is a sound unlike any other. if you tire of the worn-out, half-assed "punk rock" thats becoming popular, try out loc and try not to get too in to it. its pretty much impossible. enjoy!"