Customer Reviews

Sex Objects

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

As someone who grew up on classic punk back in the late 70's and early 80's, I can attest to the fact that the Briefs do an amazing job of recreating the snotty, melodic punk of that era.

The first time I heard them I was sort of freaking out, wondering if I had been caught in some kind of time warp and transported back to 1979 or 1980. Was this a band from back then that I had somehow never heard of? Or was this a current band that magically re-embodies the energetic spirit of classic punk?

Turns out it's the latter, and I take my hat off to the Briefs. They pump out song after song of catchy, snotty, and hook-filled classic punk that gets me almost as excited (in 2005) as the Clash, the Vibrators, the Damned, Sham 69, the Buzzcocks and others did (in 1978-9).

Sure, it ain't original. Some might say it's just Punk-By-Numbers, and in a way, it is. There's no doubt these guys have earnestly studied the classic English punk records and molded themselves in that image. But it's easier said than done well.

There's tons of bands that emulate the classic punk era, with varying degrees of success. Some, like Green Day and Rancid, have even ridden that horse all the way to mainstream success.

What sets the Briefs apart, in my opinion, is that somehow, they manage to make their music without the whiff of nostalgia. They don't sound like a band that grew up in the 90's listening to classic punk from 20 years before. Somehow, miraculously, they manage to sound like they actually ARE a classic punk band from the 70s...they sound like the real thing. From the production values, to the song structures, to the guitar tone, to the melodies, to the perfectly snotty vocals, the Briefs get it right.

If the material weren't strong, I'd say, "So what?", but with songs this good I can't help but get excited by this record and by this band. It makes me feel 14 again. It makes me wanna sell all my classic rock LP's again (like I did when i was 14) and trade them for Undertones and Stranglers and UK Subs albums. It makes me wanna start a punk band again. It makes me wanna get a Slurpee and play Space Invaders at 7-11 til 2 in the morning and then go drive around town listening to Crass and the Ramones. That's how it makes me feel, and I like it.

I bought this CD recently and it hasnt left my CD played since. The Briefs are punk, but not hardcore. Imagine the music of the early pop punk bands like the buzzcocks, the ramones and the vibrators etc, but played super fast. Thats basically what the briefs sound like. Their lyrics are mostly immature and jokey, but sometimes vaguely political (without being too serious), like on no more presidents and destroy the USA. The CD is really short, but most great punk rock CDs are. Basically, this album delivers song after song of punk rock greatness and makes any listeners want to get up and jump around and pogo. Recomended for everyone, even people who dont like punk.

After reviewing like 200 CDs in a row that were either emo, "melodic punk" (aka emo), "poetic indie" (aka bad emo), and "heartfelt hook-laden melodic rock that defies genres" (aka really bad emo), it's great to listen to a real punk band. The guitars and song structures are straight-forward peppy '70s punk, with the vocals affecting a snotty, fake British tone. A little early Clash, a little Undertones, a little New York Dolls and Heartbreakers, but with singalong background vox that bring to mind early British street punk. Songs are simple and choruses are exactly how punk choruses should be - dumb at face value, but damn catchy when repeated over and over. I had heard great things about these guys, and they live up to the hype. 14 great, catchy tracks.

this is the first briefs cd i bought and it was so worth it. i didn't take it out of my cd player for atlest 3 months. i still listen to it as muc as i can. i listened to it so much that it doesn't really work anymore. i wore it out. you will too, it is toatally worth buying. i love vitamin bomb

In this day and age where basically anytihng is called "punk", it's refreshing to see a band like The Briefs. Since I got the cd I've been listening to it non-stop. The only reason I take it out of my cd player is to put it in my car when I go out. The songs are fast, catchy, fun, and actually carry some political messages to them. I saw them on Warped 2 days ago (I went for them and Dropkick Murphys) and they put on the best live show I've seen in a long time.

Bottom line: The Briefs rock. go buy their cds and try to see them live as often as you possibly can.

The third album by the Briefs is the best of the bunch. That's not to say that the first two were anything short of amazing... it's just that "Sex Objects" is about as close to flawless as any post-millenium punk album can get. This is the real deal - punk for the purists. Not retro, not pop-punk (in the modern context at least), not hardcore, not post-punk... just good old spiny hyperactive punk rock played at perfect pogo tempos full of hooks, witty sarcasm, snotty vocals, and buzzsaw guitar. The thing I especially love about the Briefs and this album in particular is their ability to make political statements without being rhetorical or preachy. In an era where it's fashionable to say "Bush sucks" without putting any thought or depth into it, the Briefs just tell it how they feel it and make fun of the ridiculous attitudes and backwards priorities that so many Americans cling to. Songs like "Orange Alert", "Destroy The USA", and "No More Presidents" are dead-on in their accuracy and are also funny as Hell. Every song on this album is a mini-masterpiece of pure punk attitude. These guys are definitely into it for the fun and the release, and not the money... which is EXACTLY what any self-respecting punk band should be in it for.