Spermbirds
Something to Prove

Seeing the cover and the name of the band, I thought these Spermbirds were nothing more than just another disposable punk-rock band, you know, one of those bands you hear as the soundtrack in some American college movie. After a careful examination of the album, I discovered that the recording dates back to 1986 and that the band is German... Surprise!

"Something to Prove" is the flagship album of this band and as much as I might ramble on till the end of the review, I'll reveal the ending right away: trust me, it’s a good album.

From the first notes, I immediately understand where this work originated. The band has carefully listened to the classic hardcore "made in U.S.A." and with a touch of their own creativity, the members have played a blend that brings to mind a bit of everything. Acidic and full of vitality, the album sounds strange, a mix between hypnotic "arpeggios" and powerful guitar riffs. A well-crafted and epileptic sound, executed well also thanks to a good dose of technique, which finds its best expression in the melodic and elaborate parts rather than in the classic "hammering" tracks where many bands take refuge in the more banal "tam-tam-tam". From the jazz-funky pantomime transformed into a bone-crushing track to the song tending towards dark, I believe carefully studied by their idols Agent Orange. I’ll say it all: this band has much more to do with the Californian scene than with their homeland Germany. Waving the flag to attest their honor as innovators is impossible; on the contrary, to be clear, this music loses quite a bit of credibility due to the endless contaminations and influences (if not plagiarism) received from the most important bands of the time, the primary flaw being that of having been megalomaniac by trying to do more than what would have been right to do.

Even worse, the side I perhaps despise most about the work is this slightly "anti-American" vein, yes folks, Reagan was an easy target for punk (and rightly so), but tracks like "Americans are cool" freely written against all of America (people, government, music, etc.) could have been avoided; after all, their style, their way of playing, composing, and presenting an album was visibly taken from a Hardcore scene that grew primarily in the USA, not even much in English. A lot of parochialism and fiery nonsense that this band could sometimes have done without, I would have respected them more.

In conclusion, the listening is pleasant, nothing so different from many other listens, the sound is there, the music too, perhaps what is missing is that spark to consecrate them as a cult group. Everything's fine, anyone who wants to lend an ear to this music can do so without regret, if you really have to travel sea and mountains to get it... then no, forget it.