CD Reviews

Faulty Conscience | Good Enough for Punk Rock

BPO (2009)

By BARRY THOMPSON | April 14, 2009

2.5 Stars

Of the innumerable punk bands who will release their debut full-length this year, Allston's Faulty Conscience will surpass the majority with their aptly titled Good Enough for Punk Rock. The FC kids are cozy in unostentatious shoes, and mild self-depreciation suits them nicely.

It's easier to get away with a song called "Cunt Rot" when you're not asking to be taken seriously. "Cunt Rot" is, by the way, an abrasive, skeevy, blues-tinged ditty, and my favorite FC song. "Gonzo Life" runs a close second by covering all requisite bases for a solid punk number in less than a minute and a half. "Pirate Song" snags the bronze medal by addressing the visceral, illogical, all-too-human desire to be a pirate. "I'll be a pirate! Wear an eye patch on my eye/And a parrot on my shoulder 'cause I don't know why," barks the geet-and-vox dude known as Julian.

I can forgive Good Enough for being a little rough around the edges, seeing as how it's punk rock and all. "Too Many Chords" is the only total misfire. A Misfits sound-alike isn't too far removed from a Misfits cover, and superfluous Misfits covers have destroyed my ability to enjoy the Misfits.

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