Holy Shit its almost 2020 already? Where the hell have I been? Oh that’s right here writing album reviews till the cows come home. Well over 2019, CPRA has accomplished a shit ton. We wrote over 70 news, reviews and concert related items, started our own TV show, and started CPRA Skates! Don’t forget also our team up with AKA Just Miggy and The Kids Are Alright All Ages At Goosetown! On that note don’t miss the next Kids Show with the Potato Pirates on December 15, 2019, 2pm! Check out my Top 5 List of the year below!
Best of 2018 Albums and Ep/Lp Picks by CPRA’s Skabones
It’s been a crazy year here at CPRA. We’ve reviewed so much amazing music this year. We debuted our very first show, “Happy Skanksgiving” at Tennyson Tap. By the way our last show of the year, “Merry Punxmas” is on December 29, 2018. I know we all get a bit tired of these end of the year lists. As admins we all couldn’t possibly agree on overall favorites. So we are going to individually announce our own personal picks.
We reviewed almost 100 albums in 2018. So picking only a few was very tough on me. Happy Holiday and don’t let Krampus get ya! Be sure to pick up a CPRA shirt, patch, or sticker before Christmas! Email soon if you want one by Christmas!
Guest vocals on WE’RE DYING, DUDES and FOREIGN POLICY by Becca Chambers
Favorite Tracks: I Don’t Like What I’ve Become, We’re Dying Dudes. and Stranger Fruits
Sounds Like: Jagger Holly, Stray The Course, Dial Drive, and Came and Took It
Toronto punks, School Damage have released their second full length album via collab efforts with Rad Girlfriend Records, I Buy Records and the band’s own Brain Candy. Canada is putting out some kick ass punks bands and that continues with School Damage! It’s awesome when bands are still releasing full length albums. It seems the full length is somewhat of a dying breed with the digital age. There’s no need to fear! This new album is stocked with some kick ass pop, skate, and even a tad bit of metal.
My favorite tracks would be, ‘I Don’t Like What I’ve become’, ‘We’re Dying Dudes’, ‘Stranger Fruits’, and absolute favorite, ‘Foreign Policy’. I think ‘Foreign Policy’ has a great chance of hitting the major airwaves. It’s raw, heartfelt, and you can relate easily. The lyrics are catchy, the drums are nuts, and the duet vocals with Becca nail this song down.
Well, to start, what can I say about this band that hasn’t been said before? These guys are legends; 35 years of kicking some serious ass. So it makes sense that they look back and pay homage to a record that helped define their sound.
It’s been 20 years since Punk Rock Confidential first landed, but with the revisited release, it sounds like it could’ve been made yesterday. Having been a while since I heard this album, I was excited to hear it again. Within the first few seconds of the opening track, Tamara is a Punk, it all came rushing back. This is one of those albums you’d blast on a boombox during the summer while biking or skating around town. Yea, I’m old, shut up.
The Ramones influence has always been so palpable on this album, but not in a derogatory way. The music doesn’t feel like a rip off, rather like a continuation of the amazing music The Ramones created. In my opinion, its hard to do that, but The Queers make it seem effortless. The spirits of the Ramones clearly live on in these dudes.
Of course, this release wasn’t done without a little fanfare. Two new songs have been added from the original release (Punk Rock Confidential Revisited and Beat Your Heart Out) as well as two killer color choices, if you’re like me, and want the vinyl.
Bottom line, this revisited version is worth the time to check back in. It’s everything to be fondly remembered from 1998. Now, excuse me, I’m gonna go find my boombox.
