Opening and closing with
"Don't Break Me"
and
"At the Bottom"
-- two soaring anthems of alienation and anger --
Billy
brims with absolute frustration, which suits this aggressive (but agreeable) Berkeley, CA. outfit just fine. Though the production is as good and the musicianship as tight as previous efforts,
stands out simply because it has better songs, many of which seem tailor-made to the skate-punk teen: non-specific tales of isolation (
"Well"
), observant digs at the establishment (
"Hey Brother"
), and defiant statements of non-conformity (
"Head Trip"
). ~ Brian Raftery