Search - Service :: Who's Criminal?

ONE OF THE BEST OI! BANDS IN THE U.S. PERIOD! ! ! ! !

Danny Harding | SLC,Utah | 11/04/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I could talk for hours about this awesome record but I'll leave my comments sort and friggin' sweet. This is the real deal, one of the few bands that claims to play oi! music and PLAYS THE MUSIC AUTHENTICALLY AND RIGHT! No sharp politics, no rac b.s. but a hard-edged sound sure to challenge any great oi group!"

Excellent 2nd CD by an Outstanding American Oi! Band!

wisconsin_2002 | Madison, WI USA | 01/08/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The Service - Who's Criminal? (GMM Records, 1999) The follow-up to Man's Ruin. I cannot say enough good things about this band! This release is musically slightly more polished than their first, but still delivers raw vocals and non-stop music over thoughtfully crafted lyrics. Some of the references might be lost on folks not from Milwaukee ("Miller Park 2g", "tailgate in Bay View"), but this won't take away from the enjoyment of this CD in any way whatsoever. Thematically this CD branches out somewhat from the previous one, it is almost introspective at times...dealing more with day to day struggles of the working class, and one song that is a repentant look at street violence ("Time and Place"). The lyrics on this CD could stand alone as excellent wordsmanship (how often can that be said of an Oi/hardcore band?). Consider...The dead night's fog brings forth the warrior tribesEyes see red, civilians step asideToxins fill the body, violence on the riseA buzz kicks in, the moonlight tricks the eyes.Fortunately the music keeps up with the quality of the lyrics in every way.Complaint: One of the best songs on this disc is Death/True Blue Brew Crew/Life. This is essentially 3 songs compressed into one, with a little lyrical continuity, but very little musical continuity. I just wish that this had been fleshed out into 3 full songs instead of one. Favorite line from CD : Brewtown Boys, no novelty act. A nation of millions couldn't hold us back. (Gotta love the reference to Public Enemy!)"