GREAT AGAIN
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"In case the title isn't a giveaway, Blowback ain't too fond of the man in the Oval Office, in case you weren't paying attention to the lyrics of the title track or 'Don't Need Advice'. Nor is it possible to miss the anger expressed on 'Out Of Control Bullshit', since the lyrics pretty much boil down to those words. Muscular hardcore but there's a little post-punk mixed into 'Frog Trolling' and 'A Brief History Of Genocide'" Al Quint, Suburban Voice
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"Punk and politics: Some Charleston artists are using the stage to promote conservation" -- Charleston Post and Courier
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"Blowback might be a hardcore band, but it is not one content on just nailing a song down at breakneck speed. The songs are structured with a variety of speeds, twists, and turns. This highlights a Dead Kennedys’ style of attack, although the title track kick starts proceedings with an early G.B.H guitar and bass drive that is reminiscent of the Leather, Bristles, Studs and Acne era. Anything that is anti-Trump is fine by me and more so when it’s this good." -- Razorcake
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"'Out of Control Bullshit' is the most apt song title and mirrors how I feel about everything happening in this horrid Trumpian world. Listening to this desperate, frustrated expression of outrage at high volume does provide some small catharsis. The mocking 'I Don’t Need Advice' expresses that exasperated feeling we all get when we hear about the latest pile of idiotic bullshit expelled from that fucking moron’s tiny fingertips, and provides a brief, much-needed dose of humor. This is the kind of punk we need right now." -- Razorcake
Greed Runs the Clock
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"The EP solidly plants one foot in the nation's capitol and the other foot
in the nation's capitol of sleaze. …undeniable hardcore with its screamed/growled
vocals, stomping drums and slashing strings…skittles and tilts like '80s D.C.
hardcore ….. [but] adds a level of menace, energy and, frankly, fun, that
makes the piece more exciting than run of the mill barking.
Blowback's combination of the various facets of a relatively narrow genre
suggest that perhaps hardcore is wider than we think. The wrapping of the
different attributes together does create an interesting question: Is Blowback
looking back or looking forward?" -- Punknews.org
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"BLOWBACK.........holy hell!!!!!!! What a release! This has to be one of the best releases of the year,
one that will get played to death and makes me want more than just the four songs on here... I couldn't recommend this more." -- Profane Existence"
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"Well-executed punk/hardcore that bounces from one tempo to the next and to the next in complex shifts while a singer makes astute observations about the state of American culture....Varied enough over four tracks to sound fresh throughout, with quite a scratchy guitar sound that provides edginess to the proceedings. 'Cassandra’s Lament' is the standout track with spoken word elements that are like a less manic Jello Biafra.... Kudos and backslaps all ‘round; good, good stuff." -- Razorcake"
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"The album superbly navigates an ocean of influences to present to you a
steaming hot platter of no bullshit punk rock spiced heavily with some red
hot socio-political commentary which will have your ass burning for a week.
You take "Cassandra's Lament" for example and you got the groove of NYC
Hardcore yet, the spoken word against blind consumerism reminds me of the
early bay punx...while, at the same time, the raging screams of "the smokestacks
reaching into the sky" and the pounding drum intro points me towards the
seemingly conflicting directions of the more volatile anger of Amebix and
Bad Brains (Right Brigade)!
Blowback has put out one of the strongest punk offerings I've heard this year,
it's genre-less, it's just punk fucking rock! " -- Thrashhead
Drug War
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"Four songs that bring back memories of early DOA (at their best) and
MDC (circa Smoke Signal period, one that I love) and this little record
is just fantastic from start to finish. Great songs, nifty riffage and you
can just feel the anger and passion in every song. .... Looking like one
of my fave 7"s this year so far." - Profane
Existence
- "Surprising
stuff here. Competent and detailed hardcore with a great recording...I’m
hearing Agnostic Front, Dead Kennedys (mostly due to the heavy sarcasm and
mocking Southern accents in the song “Bible Belt”), Pennywise and, finally,
Voodoo Glowskulls..there’s some definite power here, and the sonic similarities
to the aforementioned bands are definitely better off for being built off
a hardcore template like the kind that Blowback’s laying down." - Razorcake
- "Blowback
brings a strong political message to their rock. I felt a strong link
to M.D.C. and The Dead Kennedys, good music with a positive message."
- Juice
Magazine
- "This
7” from Blowback is blistering punk/HC with a melodic twist. The songs here
are full on attacks and take on the current society sung in both English
and Spanish, blasting through the speakers without a lot of polish. Raw
and unapologetic, Blowback’s music is aggressive, aware, and powerful....
I really should have heard this EP sooner." - The
Trouble With Normal
Lies
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"This sounds a lot like early Black Flag, but an updated version
with lyrics about the war in Iraq and Enron…" - Punk Planet
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"Some of the
things these dudes are upset about are: war, capitalism, G. Dubya, the
prison system, kids without parents and the enigma in which we call
the United States of America home."[sic] - Impact Press
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"Songs like 'Fuck
War' and 'Johnson' sound a lot like early Black Flag, only this time
the Bush in question is the [P]resident, not the VP." - Skratch
Magazine
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"…they play lots
of political demonstrations, and joined some green anarchy tour. I for
one could give two fucks… the singer tries to sound like Jello. "
- HeartattaCk
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"Sometimes this
sounds similar to California hardcore like Black Flag or Circle Jerks
and other times it sounds like chanted protest music…… I haven't seen
something like this in punk music since Reagan. I wasn't even really
there to see that." - Slug and Lettuce
Track III
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"Political punk rock with sounds varying from traditional labor
songs, super fast rock'n'roll, and hardcore. Lots of revealing quotes
from political figures and authors. Their version of 'We Shall Not Be
Moved', a traditional labor song, is great! Not bad."
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"Politically fueled hardcore that actually delivers more bite than
bark. Extreme social commentary on government policy, human rights (or
lack of) and class struggle.... Music wise, they are reminiscent to
the old school hardcore noise of heavy hitters like MDC and early AGNOSTIC
FRONT combined with the brutal assault of current bands like SHUTDOWN
and DEATH THREAT. Yeah these guys sound pretty angry and it is evident
in their songs. Fast, hard, loud and socially conscious. Everything
a good hardcore band should be! "
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"Blowback is politically charged and firmly rooted sonically in
the harDCore legacy. "
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"If these guys really wanted to get their message out, they'd stop
wasting time in a second-rate punk band and concentrate their efforts
to supporting larger groups who share common goals and the passion for
effecting social change.... Sure, you might recruit a few 15-year-old
misfits looking for a cause at your next show, but what happens when
punk loses its moment in the sun? Oh, wait, that already happened about
seven years ago! "
By the way, this might be our favorite review.
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"This is the type of hardcore I like - great pace, not needlessly
aggressive and lots to say. This is what the hardcore kids should be
listening to - never mind all the macho, trendy bullshit - you will
actually learn something from this. Something valuable. Fantastic cover,
great layout, great quotes - great release. "
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"[Franklin], a vocalist with the punk band Blowback, recalls attending
a Klan rally dressed as a Ku Klux Klown"
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"RAN OUT ON EMPTY" WEBLOG
"They kind of reminded me of a hardcore punk Hootie and the Blowfish
except instead of the black guy, they had a hispanic dude with a frohawk.
"
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"Music wise they play a mix of hardcore and punk, along the lines
of early Agnostic Front, and a rougher version of Death Threat. Good
hardcore punk with great lyrics."
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"...so bad, it transcends any description I could offer. "
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"Serious politically inspired music that will have you starting your
own revolution."
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MESSAGE FROM THE HOMELAND, ISSUE 9
"At once completely serious in their devotion to human rights work
and wise enough to take themselves lightly, Blowback is the epitome
of a political street punk band."
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"This is the type of band that I could imagine having a huge pit
at their shows, and some of their shows are probably also ended in riots
and broken up by police and tear gas. Along the lines of the Traitors,
Black Flag, Anti-Flag and so on, this is punk for you. It doesn't get
much better than this. Punk rock is back. Watch your ass."