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| AdhesiveWe Got The Beat2000 Ampersand 
 Review by: Paul Ferraro See others by this writer Official Adhesive site (link) Only registered users can post comments 
 Published on June 6th 2001
"Here's a message to my generation!" proclaims the opening line of Adhesive's latest album. And indeed, it is. Straight-ahead punk rock filled with meaningful lyrics... Adhesive makes their home on a small Swedish label Ampersand Records, whose only other releases of note on this side of the Atlantic (correct me if I'm wrong) are some early Randy releases. Still, I've had no trouble finding Adhesive albums in stores. This, their third album (plus a handful of EPs and a split with Pridebowl) marks even more of a progression in their. After going from the very So-Cal and Bad Religion-sounding Sideburner, to the very edgy (and almost hardcore at times) From left to right, Adhesive seems to have found a happy medium with We Got the Beat. 15 songs consisting of catchy guitar riffs, sing-along choruses, and the odd solo (plus an acoustic song). Pretty formulaic, but Adhesive does a very good job of it. They even manage to mix in a few styles. They go from your typical skate-along songs "Happy End Garuntee" and "Don't Turn Away" to the very poppy "It Ain't Right" and "Let It Come Down", to songs of an almost hardcore feel like "Pressure Point" (a personal favourite) and "Before We Smash the State". They also find the time to slow it down in a few songs like "Safe Reality" (another personal fave). Plus the aforementioned acoustic song. Ok, that's not an acoustic guitar, but the song has a very acoustic feel (no drums/bass). Lyrically, Adhesive has some of the better lyrics in punk rock. They cover topics such as human rights, homelessness and poverty, the relationship between big business and government etc... All this is sung in a voice that is very scruffy and sincere, almost like a Swedish version of Chuck from HWM. And the sing-along choruses make every song feel like an anthem. Timing out at 40 minutes long, We Got the Beat seems like an epic. Do youself a favour and check out who I think are one of the most underrated bands in the business today (not that they'd care about being rated at all...) Check out their website, download some free songs offered there, buy a CD or 2 if you like it....that's my time, I'm out. Enjoy. People who liked this also liked:           Please login or register to post comments. What are the benefits of having a Punknews.org account?
Great album but not half as good as From Left To Right. To the one who wrote the following: it sucks dicks all night long. Imagine a cocktail with the best sounds of Down By Law, SLF, (early) Bad Religion and various early streetpunk. That´s what Adhesive is all about. Add some of the best lyrics in punk. We got the beat is a milestone in modern punk. Check this band out!!! This is one hell of a record! Adhesive is one of those bands who makes you wonder on what terms bands get signed to labels like Epitaph, Hellcat or Fat Wreck, `cause Adhesive is fucking impressive. They got the melodies, the edge and the some of the best lyrics ever in punk. All performed by some of the nicest people here on earth. ADHESIVE fuckin' rock. I never heard a single song from them when I went to go see them live and they were ssssooooooooo good, I bought this album right after the show. The whole album keeps a good steady aggressive pace, but the best song is by far UPHILL STRUGGLE, which they closed their live set with. They sound very much like RANDY, who also fuckin' rock and will DESTROY you live, I'm seeing them again THIS WEDNESDAY!!!! Political and subversive punkrock at its best. A fucking great album by one of the most underrated punkbands today. Melodic punkrock-mayhem! These swedes sure knows how to rock the ass out off every single oppressive element in todays society. And they do it good! The band is like a bastard child, spawned by Propagandhi and Stiff Little Fingers(!) Utterly brilliant! Adhesive play politically charged and heartfelt punkrock. The music is simple, but they put so much passion into the music that it´s hard not to enjoy this. Songs that I personally love is; Adhesive´s explicitly political messages along with the passion for genuine and honest punkrock makes this record a must have. They´re digging further down the roots of punk this time, but this ain´t no retro-bullshit! Truly great anarcho-political punkrock! Sorry, but I think with each record they have gotten progressively more UNLISTENABLE. The good melodies have totally disappeared and now you have a well intentioned record, but one that nobody should or will go out of their way to listen to. If you wanna hear what Adhesive could have been, get the songs from their first one. That's my opinion anyway. Randy is a far better punk rock band, a bit uneven, but even their latest one "Human Atom Bombs" has mostly killer songs minus the first one on the cd. mark All I've got to say is that Adhesive is the best Swedish band.They play in between old Ten foot pole and old Bad religion. Skate punk with great political lyrics. |
