Label: Maniac Squat Records
Released: March 3, 2008
There are plenty of bands revisiting the 80s, but most stick to post-punk and new wave rather than punk and hardcore. The Eruptors are certainly an exception. They avoid anything refined and go straight for the throat with noisy punk that sounds about as DIY as it can be. The downside is that they borrow from so many bands yet don’t seem to find some synthesis of all of these influences. Instead, they flip back and forth, sounding like AOD on one song, Government Issue on another, the Butthole Surfers somewhere else, then Cocksparrer, early Black Flag, the Cramps and so on. The upside is that this erratic ride is about as much fun as can be had on an album. While it’s coming apart at the seems, it is that very fact, along with a healthy dose of bratty irreverence, that holds Bad Time to Be Having a Good Time together. Just as the music comes from a school that disowns precision and proficiency, so too does the production. While some of the subtle nuances may be lost (yeah, right), the hands off production allows the energy to flow freely and as the name implies, that’s exactly what the Eruptors are about.
Ratings
Satriani: 4/10
Zappa: 6/10
Dylan: 5/10
Aretha: 8/10
Overall: 6/10
If you’re curious about my rating categories, read the description.