So I just got my hands on the new AZ album, entitled 1-2-3-4. Actually it's called 12:34, but the intended double entendre is so stupid I think its more appropriately titled 1-2-3-4.
This is my issue: just because you have a raw voice like Devore's doesn't make you punk rock; the band never went anywhere with its previous major label deal with Lava/Atlantic, which isn't anything to diss on in the first place, but for once a major label realized they were putting out crap.
Another complaint: Authority Zero attempts to blend shit like ska/reggae/etc with punk rock, which only worked, in my opinion, with Operation Ivy. And you know what, fuck the Clash, I never cared. You're not from the islands, you're not Jamaican, Rastafarian, or any of the above. The mere mention of the term "ska/punk" makes me puke.
I've been listening to the new record by AZ for a while now, and they really need to stop attempting Bad Religion-style EpitaphRecordsWannaBe bullshit. Can't our punk rock scene, our musical identity, have something unique, something that isn't recycled crap that sounded like shit in the first place? C'mon guys... I like you as people, I know you have talent, but fucking forget these formulas you've been milking for years. I realize the dumbass kids with backwards baseball caps like it and feel like punks when they hear it, but you, as artists, ought to be more honest and not pander to that shit.
'Nuff said, here's a couple songs, you can decide for yourselves.
"Talk is Cheap": http://media.newtimes.com/id/696163/
"12:34": http://media.newtimes.com/id/696164/
