Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Bad Brains - Bad Brains


Bad Brains – Bad Brains
ROIR, 1982 (1997 Reissue)
Acquired: Half Price Books, Used, 2013
Price: $5

Leave it to the Rastafarians to make one of the fastest, loudest, and most influential hardcore punk records of all time. It’s almost ridiculous. One of these things is not like the other. Side A starts with the blistering “Sailin’ On” and ends with the downtempo, straight-up reggae jam “Leaving Babylon.” It’s that blend of sounds that textures Bad Brains’ debut. Sets it apart from the rest of the dudes thrashing as hard and fast and loud as they could with their hearts set on destruction. The album cover features a lightning bolt striking the Capitol with everything decked out in the colors you usually see on the wristbands of white dudes with dreads and hacky sacks. The lightning bolt almost gives off a Frankenstein’s Monster vibe considering Washington DC also birthed Ian MacKaye and Henry Rollins and we all know what those two bros did for the genre. Also, after all these years “Pay to Cum” is still one of the most vibrant, inspired, and exhausting songs I’ve ever heard. It sounds like a fucking firing squad.


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