Kung Fu Records Sampler Vol.5 (Punk Rock Is Your Friend) - Various Artists

Ok, when you look at the track list for this compilation CD the first names you tend to notice that are on the CD are such acts as The Vandals, No Use For A Name, and Tsunami Bomb. However, these are not the tracks from the CD that are really the most impressive. The idea of compilation CDs is to introduce new bands to your CD collection and this is no exception to the rule. When reading the press pack I found that 2 demos are included from newly ...
...they really kick off the CD ion style with a really heavy track that will really get you in to the CD. Another band that will impress are The God Awfuls. I had not heard of them before but after hearing their contributions to the CD I will surely be checking the band out in the future.

Audio Karate are the first band on the CD to really disappoint as I had heard great things about this band but their shouty approach just didn't do ... more

Ok, when you look at the track list for this compilation CD the first names you tend to notice that are on the CD are such acts as The Vandals, No Use For A Name, and Tsunami Bomb. However, these are not the tracks from the CD that are really the most impressive. The idea of compilation CDs is to introduce new bands to your CD collection and this is no exception to the rule. When reading the press pack I found that 2 demos are included from newly signed band Underminded. Underminded are a really cool band - they really kick off the CD ion style with a really heavy track that will really get you in to the CD. Another band that will impress are The God Awfuls. I had not heard of them before but after hearing their contributions to the CD I will surely be checking the band out in the future.

Audio Karate are the first band on the CD to really disappoint as I had heard great things about this band but their shouty approach just didn't do it for me. I am all for hardcore when it is done well but I really don't think this track has been done well so at the moment I am not really too impressed with this band I had read such rave reviews of. The No Use For A Name unreleased track on the CD is worth giving a listen as it is quite a cool little track, but with other bands on the CD that are much lesser known, yet much more talented it is really hard to fully enjoy the track the band have to offer in 'This Aint No Way To Live.' I was looking forward to hearing The Vandals and their tracks on the CD as I had been quite impressed with what I had heard from the band in the past. Sadly, the music on display here was nowhere near their finest material and it really left me quite disappointed. The Tsunami Bomb remix of 'Roundabout' is really good. I have found Tsunami Bomb to be a bit of a hit or miss band in that you never know whether you will see the good, or the bad side of them. Here, we are truly seeing the good side of them and the quality of the remix really does do them justice and add excitement to the tune. However, on the other track the band have to offer, 'Dawn on a Funeral Day' we unfortunately seem to be experiencing the downside to the band.

A definite stand out band on this CD is Useless I.D. - a band who offer up two fresh sounding songs that are quite happy sounding and you can have a really good dance to. I am not usually a fan of this sort of vibrant, upbeat pop tinged Punk Rock music but the band really do it well and as a result really are the highlight of this CD. I would give the two tracks on display from the band here 5/5 if they were on their own as they really are good tracks and if you are thinking about purchasing this CD then these two tracks alone are reason enough to go out and buy it as at under 5 pound for it you cant really go far wrong. I had not really checked this band out before hearing them on the compilation but I will definitely be getting my hands on more of their material in the future as this stuff is musical gold. If all of the bands stuff is anywhere near as good as these two tracks then I could just have a new favourite band on my hands. I don't know how the band have done it but they really have produced two amazing tracks of fine punk rock with uplifting, upbeat, fun music that will just make you want to dance and have a good time. This my friends is party music at its finest!

So, all in all this compilation is really quite an average release with relatively few tunes really managing to impress on a mass scale, but there are glimpses of genius on the CD which make it well worth spending your hard earned cash on. There are some added bonuses on the CD in videos from Antifreeze, Goldfinger, Neil Hamburger, Ozma, and The Vandals so even if you are not in to the music then there are always some visuals for you to get in to.

Amazon price: £5.99
Genre Rock & Pop
Performer Various Artists
Record Label Kung Fu Records
UPC 610337883223 

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