Kaleidoscopic street punk!
Another great punk release from NYC sees Roger Miret & The Distaters release their third street punk album. Cuban born Roger Miret might be more well known for fronting legendary punk outfit Agnostic Front, however here we have more streetwise punk that sits somewhere between Left Alone and The Casualties.
First song 'Warning Warning' has a catchy riff and is little more like Lars Frederiksen & The Bastards than Rancid, with it's straight up punk and rock'n'roll influences. Songs like 'Roots Rock'n'roll', 'Janie and Johnny' and the catchy-as-hell 'Pride' have a big nod towards bands like The Clash and Sham 69, whilst it's fairly self-explanatory as to the band that influenced the song, 'Ramones'!
There is the sharp, shock and punch of hardcore on 'FxxK You', whilst we have slightly Pogues Irish jig of an acoustic number on 'Everything I Do', which thankfully is not un updated punk version of the Bryan Adams' bastard-ballad! There is the superb anthem of 'Another Generation' whilst the album finishes with the reggae-sound of 'Runaway Reggae Remix' which is very much like Tim Armstrong's new solo stuff.
There is no denying that 'My Riot' is a satisfying album, although I have to ask myself whether it's Roger Miret & The Disasters that I like, or the fact that they have drawn influences from some of my favourite bands. The overall sound is very good. Roger Miret is a star in his own right, and The Disasters are a very good band so all boxes ticked. But do they need a little more originality? Who knows.
Street punk has really come alive again and there are many great bands all flying the flag for the genre, and as this goes, 'My Riot' is catchy and accessible with thoughtful lyrics like The Casualties, without sounding same-y, or having the need to play a more ferocious fast-paced punk.
It's not the best punk album this year...but it's not too far off of it!