Lower Class Brats Tales Of The Wild, The Ugly & The Damned

Needs no introduction” is a phrase that’s frequently bandied about with little attention paid to its real weight. But with five full lengths, over a dozen 7” EPs, a live record, countless compilation appearances, and a nearly 30 year career under their belt, Lower Class Brats are a band that truly need no introduction. Since their formation in 1995, the Brats has been one of the premier American punk acts, playing a brand of Glam Rock and Oi!-informed streetwise Punk Rock that is unmistakably their own. With 15+ years since their last LP, the droogs are back at long last with a new offering of sonic ultra-violence in the form of Tales Of The Wild, The Ugly & The Damned. While other bands with long histories inevitably crest and dip over time—seeking that elusive “return to form” in their later years—Lower Class Brats have managed to forge a legacy free of missteps. Consequently, Tales Of The Wild, The Ugly & The Damned isn’t a return to form, but the next chapter in their legendary career. Produced by Jack Control (of World Burns To Death) at Enormous Door, in their original home of Austin, TX, this album clocks in at just over 25 minutes, and boasts 11 raging, sub-3 minute songs. Tales is replete with the razor-edged, boot stomping, singalong anthems that have long been the band’s hallmark. Massive choruses, 70s rock ’n’ roll swagger, and no shortage of antisocial mania make this yet another worthy addition into the formidable Lower Class Brats discography. Even after 28 years, LCB are running circles around groups decades their junior. Presented with the patented TKO care, Tales Of The Wild, The Ugly & The Damned is as much a welcome gift to the longtime fan as it is a compelling entry point for the new listener. Any conversation about American punk rock that doesn’t mention Lower Class Brats is either revisionist or woefully ill-informed, and Tales is irrefutable proof that this band has no intention of going gentle into that good night.