Inflammable Material [Original recording remastered]

Stiff Little Fingers | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 5, 2005)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Label: Restless Records
• ASIN: B0007Y09A0
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (34 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #82,788 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Complete your collection with these 4 punk classics from the legendary definitive Irish punk band!

INFLAMMABLE MATERIALS cranks up the politics like only SFL knows how including the stand-out rendition to Bob Marley’s "Johnny Was". HANX is a live recording that brilliantly showcases their incendiary live shows. On NOBODY’S HEROES, the group evolves by way of articulate lyrics, refined playing, and yet still remain defiant as ever. GO FOR IT reveals their rock and reggae hybrid style popularized by the great song "Roots Radicals Rockers & Reggae".

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Greatest Fire Ever Recorded, February 2, 2004

By 

Michael Henderson (Worcester, MA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Inflammable Material (Audio CD)

Hmmmmm, let me just start out by saying a few words about a subject that has been beaten to death. People get all worked up about today's "punk" music, and I can't understand why. Bands such as Green Day, Blink 182, Good Charlotte, New Found Glory, they're not even punk at all. So when people tie on them the ever so tired "pop-punk" label it gets me a little cranky. Pop-punk? Come on now children, these aforementioned bands owe far more to the Beatles than any respectable punk band. Punk you see, was born with Iggy Pop and the Stooges. It is raw, a form of brutal, simple expression. Political expression, personal expression, it doesn't matter. All that matters is that it is raw, straight from the hip and reasonably faaaast, right?

Well, If the Stooges birthed that writhing, thrashing beast known as punk, this album crystallized everything that was right about this genre. Brilliant, stunningly fast and savage riffs, tight and hammering rythm section, and inisightful fury fueled lyrics. And Jake Burns' singing?.... Well, simply put, it's the greatest, nastiest howl you'll ever hear. However, these are just ingredients. The finished product, is Stiff Little Fingers' utter classic "Inflammable Material" and a mere list of ingredients doesn't come close to capturing it's essence. You see, on this recording, magic happened. A fire of youth and anger was layed down on a 24 track recorder, and also most tantalizingly, true possibility. This is Punk, good Sirs. Beautiful, nasty, and always young punk. It is in my opinion, along with the Ramones' "Rocket to Russia", Television's "Marquee Moon", The Clash's "London Calling", Misson of Burma's "Signals, Calls and Marches", Husker Du's "Zen Arcade" and Joy Division's "Unkown Pleasures", one of the greatest rock and roll albums ever made. It stands atop the peak of almost unnatainable brilliance, giving us all the middle finger in all it's ragged glory, and for that, we are thankful. Children, buy this masterpiece. There'll be time enough for Bach when you're old and can no longer bang your head.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This album is perfect! Why are SLF practically unknown?!?!!, June 9, 2003

By 

MaratsBathing "Sail" (NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Inflammable Material (Audio CD)

This is one of my FAVORITE punk albums of all time. Yet, a disturbingly few amount of people know who the hell SLF are! If you like the Clash or the Sex Pistols, you will LOVE SLF, no doubt.

Stiff Little Fingers is a band from Belfast, Ireland, a place of many troubles around the time of this record's release in 1979, and their songs reflect all of this suffering. They were rebels with a cause, trying to give hope to the masses in Northern Ireland, and they used some damn good punk rock music to spread their messages. Everyone who knows of SLF are quick to call them the "Irish Clash." Well, as much as I like the Clash, I'd have to say that I enjoy listening to SLF quite a bit more. They were rawer, angrier, and more true to their rebellious punk roots than the Clash, yet at the same time, they share the same reggae/ska/dub influences (they cover Bob Marley's "Johnny Was").

This is one of my personal favorite punk rock albums and if you're into punk at all, or if you simply happen to be a Clash fan, I give "Inflammable Material" my highest recommendation.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I'm gonna try not to be biased here... aww, screw it!, December 29, 2005

By 

Gemma (Armagh, NI) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Inflammable Material (Audio CD)

HOLY SMOKES this is a good record. This is probably the most underrated thing I have ever heard in my entire life. And I'm not just saying that because I hail from Northern Ireland, where the Fingers are from. No, when people begin their collection of punk albums, along with Never Mind The Bollocks and the Clash and what have you, this is a must have. If you like the Sex Pistols, Anti-Flag, The Clash or The Unseen, you will love this because it sounds like a mix of them all. The only way I can think to describe Jake Burns's voice is that it sounds like he's been gargling barbed wire.

1)Suspect Device: This is the album version of the song, and much more grainy and not as polished as the single. It's one of my favourites, the chorus is amazing and the lyrics really hit home.

2) State of Emergency: Not as good as the others, but still good. Has some great lyrics.

3) Here We Are Nowhere: I didn't think much of this at first, but it's so catchy it will stick in your head for days. Trust me.

4) Wasted Life: Somehow Jake's voice sounds even more sharp on this song. It's about not wanting to be a soldier.

5) No More Of That: Better than State of Emergency, but not the best.

6)Barbed Wire Love: This is an odd love song. At one point the Stiff Little Fingers sound nothing like they do usually. But it's brilliant. After this the album gets really good.

7) White Noise: An anti-racism song. Very sharp and cut edge, one of the best on the record.

8) Breakout: Pretty much an anti- 9 to 5 song. I love it.

9) Law and Order: This is a nice little punk song. OK, so nice may not fit it exactly, but I'm running out of adjectives. This is a song about the pigs. They do a nice job of it too.

10) Rough Trade: This is a fantastic song about a certain big record company that did the Fingers over. Again one of my personal favourites.

11) Johnny Was: I don't know much about reggae, but I know that I like this song. It's lengthly, though (EIGHT MINUTES? WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO ONE TRUTH, TWO MINUTES, THREE CHORDS AND 4 OVER 4 TIME SIGNATURE?). But I absolutely love the intro.

12) Alternative Ulster: This was one of the first punk songs I liked, again maybe because of the fact I am living in Ulster where it's boring at the best of times. But I LOVE the lyrics. I mean, the 2nd verse: 'Is this the kinda place you wanna live? Is this where you wanna be? Is this the only life we're gonna have?'. And the last screaming bit: 'They say they're a part of you, but that's not true you know. They say they got control of you, but that's a lie you know. They say you will never be free.'

13) Closed Groove: Weird, weird song. But it will stick in your head.

14)Suspect Device (single version): I've already reviewed this song, so all I'll say is this one is more polished with no swearing.

15)78 RPM: I love this song, I really do. It's more upbeat than the others, but that ain't a bad thing.

16) Interview: This is pretty interesting, I found parts of it funny ie. Jake Burns's first radio interview, John Peel's little obsession etc.

All in all, a great album, or good craic as we say over here.