Trouble Maker
“Trouble Maker have been knocking East Bay punks flat with their aggressive hardcore punk sound and real-life lyrics. Think Fear, think Agnostic Front (pre-metal days), think that great local hardcore band you loved in 1986.” -AlternativeTentacles-
http://www.facebook.com/TroubleMakerOak
This is formidable hardcore brilliance. The mix on this is great, the vocals are right up front and in your face, the drums are thundering and drive it down the highway like a GTO with all barrels blazing, the guitars sear right through the rest and into your soul. Yes this CD is scorching.
The Made in Oakland CD is a collection of the band’s new material and includes songs from the 2009 unreleased Smash Hits with some material thrown in from 2003’s Fist Impression. Currently, Trouble Maker are writing new material and they will be playing the Gilman in Berkley CA on October 18th with the English Dogs.
Trouble Maker were always one of my absolute favourite bands to tour and do live gigs with. They always were intense, vociferous and great guys to boot, fun as hell. Trouble Maker are one of the bands that to me, best represent the diversity that is West Coast hardcore. Not a band to ever fall into the generic hardcore punk abyss, these guys are a Mack Truck barreling down the highway at full speed playing chicken in your headlights.
Saturday Night – Saturday Night is a great fist pumping sing along with a hint of Oi. Complain is full of crispy-crunchy goodness and surprise hooks as it burns rubber around the curves and lays out on the stretches, while I Don’t Care is tight and powerful. Liquor Store is a sing-along drinking song perfect to start off your Friday night partay. And the hits keep coming on this one, Alcoholic is a rock powerhouse with great melody and Poser, well the intro into Poser reminds me of old 80s buttrock bands. The beginning of this one takes me back to a time in Portland back in the early 80s, when we punks were hanging out at a rocker party, and typical little trouble maker that I was then, I walked up to the biggest poser in the place with his flowing golden locks. I grabbed and hacked off a handful of his God-like ‘Do’ thereby eliminating his Rock God spandex powers. As we wandered out of the party a few minutes later, it broke out into an all-out bar room brawl with 2x4s… and that is what this song breaks into after the pretty intro. Sheer Trouble Making Punk Rock madness. Outstanding.
Rough House – another heavyweight sing along ditty. Jekyll & Hyde – Chunky goodness that is melodic as hell with excellent lyrics which is what Trouble Maker do best. All Fed Up – This one reminds me a bit of early Minor Threat. Outta Control – Tight and fast, again epic West Coast hard-core sound here. Bad Attitude – This starts with a most excellent bass line and the vocals are riding a tight and winding curve holding on for dear life.. Then it drives straight into a wall of guitar hell that just takes you higher. Another one that you can’t help but sing along to. This is one of my top favourites on this CD. Sex with the Ex – another melodic ditty full of in your face hard-core. Your Scene – More melodic brilliance from the lads, this one’s danceable for all your little Mohawk spike encrusted leather jacket poseurs.. I love the sentiments on this one and it perfectly describes my own complaints about the sad state that some punk has degenerated into.
Trouble Maker – Not one to finish on a light note, Trouble Maker is an impressive hard edged annihilating finale to this CD. Get yours and play it. LOUD.
Reviewed by Rosdaughr
Track listing:
- No Regrets
This is Oakland
3. Saturday Night
4. Never Quit
5. Hit & Run
6. Complain
7. I Don’t Care
8. Liquor Store
9. Alcoholic
10. Poser
11. Rough House
12. Jekyll & Hyde
13. All Fed Up
14. Outta Control
15. Power Trip
16. Dirty Cop
17. Bad Attitude
18. Sex with the Ex
19. Cause for Alarm
20. Your Scene
21. Trouble Maker
Counter Culture 
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