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| Toys That KillShanked!2006 Recess 
 Review by: Fuzzy See others by this writer ![[staff]](/images/icons/staffsticker.gif){kind=icon}
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Published on June 16th 2006
The four R's of Toys That Kill's newest album1. RumpshakingThis album has some rhythm going on! From the opening of "Bomb-sniffin' Dogs" to the close of of "31-Year-Old Daydream," this album makes me want to dance. The only problem is that I'm not really sure how to do it. It's definitely not spin-kicks or karate moves, but it's not really a circle pit either. It just kind of makes me want to wag my finger in the air. Maybe gyrate my hips a bit and my right leg as well. All I know is that I have stop shaking my butt on the bus or I'm going to get arrested.2. RetroThere's a definite feeling of having been here before. It's like slipping into a new pair of shoes, having owned the same make before. It fits nearly as well your old pair did, but they're crisper, feel springier and more supportive. Not to say that TTK don't have a sound all their own, but it's familiar. It draws on the Ramones in the simplicity of the songs and lyrics, the Buzzcocks in the energy and the Clash in the relevance.3. RefreshingIt doesn't sound old though! This is an album with fantastic modern "DIY" production and aesthetics. From the peculiar album art to the crisp sounds on the record, it's a breath of fresh air. Most importantly, it doesn't sound like it was recorded in the ass-end of some kid's basement, even though the aesthetic, the feel, and the grit to it makes you realize it could have been.4. RidiculousYou can tell, no matter how serious some songs may be underneath the surface, the folks in this band are just having fun. Maybe it's sad that it's such a foreign concept to be in a punk band, have political lyrics and yet still have fun and not take yourselves so damned seriously, but at least someone's doing it. The "Katzensheisse Über Alles" intro and interlude comes out of nowhere and I've been told the sound of mewing cats bursting forth from your speakers can wreak havoc with those felines living with you.In ClosingToys That Kill have crafted an incredibly enjoyable, incredibly simple, incredibly incredible punk album with Shanked!. It's punk rock, there's no doubt about it, that brings back two sorely lacking aspects lately: fun and relevancy.People who liked this also liked:           Please login or register to post comments. What are the benefits of having a Punknews.org account?
this album is amazing! Just got my copy in the mail the other week and am lovin' this album. It brings back the poppiness of 'The Citizen Abortion' while maintaining the intensity of 'Control the Sun.' I just wish Sean sung a couple more songs, as his three songs (paritculary 'Liars' Hook') are among the album's best. Oh man, this is gonna be another one of those times where I argue with someone until it ends with hugging and happy thoughts, isn't it. "The P-I-X scene comes to mind." "The P-I-X scene comes to mind." Sorry, again, it's just irritating to read what he said. They aren't just points that don't mesh with my own opinion. He says that the only scene in which bad recording is admired is grind, which is so far from true it's laughable. The P-I-X scene comes to mind. I've seen countless local bands purposely record their albums poorly because "lo-fi sounds better". One guy gave my band's first CD a good review, and I know a large part of that was because it sounded so bad. There's even an entire genre of lo-fi dedicated to recording their music poorly. I really don't think he even made any points. He just said, "No." My point wasn't about the practice of DIY everywhere. It was about those who get self-righteous about it, and all he said was, "Nobody's like that." Which isn't true. I have friends who are like that. I'd be an idiot to say that DIY was a bad thing. Well, Dr. Dan is wrong about quite a few things, including the use of that word. Stop being a retard, Justin. Soooo... how about that Toys that Kill album? Pretty sweet, eh? I'm not stepping in on either side of this argument, but there's no need to insult each other with words like "retard" or asshole. Come on now, you can have a discussion calmly and exchange ideas like adults. Hey, retard (I call you that because you don't have the courage to register a username before picking fights with people, so I can't refer to you by name), my opinions don't come from watching SLC Punk (a movie you've probably watched far more times than I have), they come from going to shows, being in bands, booking shows and watching the habits of touring bands and the audiences at said shows, as well as friends and acquaintances I have had who are part of the hard core DIY scene, for, oh, I don't know, going on ten years now. So, why don't you shut your mouth, or come up with an argument that isn't basically just, "Nuh-uh!" Everything I mentioned in the previous post, I have seen multiple times. Kids in high school go nuts over a band with a professionally screen-printed shirt. Kids in college go nuts over a shirt the band made in the van with stencils and spray paint. In each case, the quality of the band has no impact whatsoever. It's the novelty of how they've presented themselves. And if you can't see it happening, well, then, you're probably one of them, and you're too afraid to look in the mirror. And the whole "being hardcore DIY is the real selling out because you're living by someone else's rules!" argument is something so dumb that I could only read it on these messageboards. Scruffy, the only underground scene where bad recording is revered is the grind scene. So really, quit. You have no idea what the fuck you're talking about, just like 99% of the people on this site who have this dumbass reactionary stance against DIY. Or, some people actually care about the music they create more than the way they create it. This is my problem with the hardline DIY scene. How you do what you do, and how "DIY" it is, is more important than what you do. "but I also understand that DIY can be used as a stepping stone to get somewhere else without disprespecting the scene or the ethics" Awesome band, I'm tired of people bitching about how much they miss FYP. TTK is killer, both live and on plastic. The sound of the bass makes me think Dilinger Four. Awesome band, I'm tired of people bitching about how much they miss FYP. TTK is killer, both live and on plastic. I think it sounds like it was recorded "in the ass-end of some kid's basement." At least the first song on their myspace does. Justin, i totally understand. and i definetly respect those who take the DIY route, but I also understand that DIY can be used as a stepping stone to get somewhere else without disprespecting the scene or the ethics. Not that you're wrong, but a lot of people in the smaller "DIY" scene tend to make music a secondary or complimentary exercise in their life, rather than the main moneymaker. Why would they want to get bigger, anyway? "This guys are fucking great and probably one of the most underrated bands out there right now. What amazes me is that someone bigger hasn't picked them up after 3 consistently awesome records. They'd be perfect for Swami or Fat." I heard a few songs...not bad. I'll have to look into this. im a fan of these dudes. This guys are fucking great and probably one of the most underrated bands out there right now. What amazes me is that someone bigger hasn't picked them up after 3 consistently awesome records. They'd be perfect for Swami or Fat. Just heard a few of the songs and they're awesome as usually. I really dug Citizen Abortion and Control the Sun and from what I've heard so far this is yet another excellent record from these guys. I fucking love this band. One of my favorites of the year so far. theres a show on the comedy network called puppets that kill. its pretty shitty. Adam has a cat. Ghey. After the jaw-droppingly awesome "Control The Sun" it's gotta be tough to do another record. TTK definitely rose to the occasion though- been listening to this off and on for days and yes, it's not yet as great as "Control the Sun" but it's 50 times better than most of the other bands you and I listen to. Good album, doesnt grab me like Control the Sun did though. "I've been told the sound of mewing cats bursting forth from your speakers can wreak havoc with those felines living with you." it's a contest between this band and the ergs! as to who is the most underrated band out there today. and it's a close match! Recess has the best advertisements ever. I have this, but I haven't really listened to it more than once. this album is awesome. save the gimmick review for something that needs it. Love this album. Love this band. AAA, Toys That Kill, and Cleveland Bound Death Sentence in the same day of reviews? very cool. This band is profoundly underrated. |
