Murphy's Law
The Best of Times

I've been registered on Debaser since April '07, more than two and a half years... Yet I've never written a review until now. Why, you might ask (assuming you even care)? Well, let's say I didn't feel like it, kind of like those new Alcoholics Anonymous members at meetings who always pass when it's their turn to say something. But now I'm finally here to write my first review to talk about Murphy's Law.

The story of how I discovered this amusing band (not exactly well-known) is funny. Gods of Metal 2008: during a break between concerts, I was wandering through the well-stocked stands of CDs, DVDs, vinyls, and so on when, since I couldn't decide, I resorted to the classic "random CD" trick. And what do I grab, in a sea of Black, Death, Doom, Grindcore, Thrash metal from the most under underground? The only punk album in circulation, yeah. I was drawn to the cartoony cover, you see.

Back home, I put on the mysterious CD. After a brief instrumental intro, the title track kicks off, fast and furious, somewhat reminiscent of the punkier and goofier Red Hot Chili Peppers from the '86/'90 era, to be exact, and on the same wavelength are the subsequent "Big Spliff" (more funky, echoing Jane's Addiction) and the frantic "Freak Town". But it's not only the beloved Red Hot that inspire this New York quartet (despite the album being recorded in Los Angeles): "Ebony and Ivory" (featuring none other than Angelo Moore from Fishbone) is a typical three-minute-three-chord song in the style of the Ramones; "Did You Play War?", almost hardcore, recalls Bad Religion; "Tight" with its ska rhythm evokes The Clash and Mano Negra (the type of ska-punk that in the '90s/'00s would succeed with Ska-P, in short).

"The Best of Times" is, in short, a compendium of goofy and festive punk, ridiculous yes, but never reaching stupidity. Our four stoners don't shine for personality and originality in the 12 songs present here (14 if we consider the intro and outro "Hemp for Victory"), their influences are clear from the first listen, but if we take them for what they are, they become lovable.

An album to put on at hemp, beer, and punk rock parties, if you're looking for an alternative to the Red Hot.