Punknews.orgPunknews.org Logo
Review Navigator

BackForward

Features

 




Reviews

Epitaph Records -- Millencolin

Despite the fact that their influence permeates some of today's most beloved punk bands, the new Leatherface album arrived quietly and without hype. The legacy of Frankie Stubbs and company can be heard in such luminaries as Dillinger Four, Avail, Manifesto Jukebox, Hot Water Music, Planes Mistaken For Stars, Gunmoll... hell a good portion of the No Idea Records roster, yet Dog Disco just snuck by unheralded while the modern punk scene they helped build were busy with other matters.

Considering the type of band Leatherface has always been, this isn't really surprising.

The Sunderland group's honestly a difficult one to get into, but an incredibly gratifying one for those that make the effort. For me personally Stubbs' gravelly, understated vocal style took me a while to get my head around in my first few encounters. Musically however the band sounds all too familiar, especially given that their dense layered guitar sound has been so frequently adopted since. This should work in their favor today, as bands who have run with the Leaterface's style are certainly in vogue.

Dog Disco just may be Leatherface at their most melodic. Frankie Stubbs' may have been far more raging and abrasive in the past, but he's never been this consistently soulful. There's a history in these songs, a world-weary sense of wisdom for lack of a better description. You can hear that in both the band's anthems like the album opening "Hoodlum" to heartfelt material like "Plastic Surgery." The twelve tracks that make up the record may not be the most immediate material the band's ever recorded, but it's certainly a fine addition to their body of work. Furthermore Dog Disco works well as a cohesive album, something the band's always strived for and have once again accomplished.

One must understand that Leatherface is a band that bleeds intensity, and even their more low-key songs give a sense of pressure and movement. Despite their many imitators, few bands have truly achieved this like Leatherface has.



People who liked this also liked:
Leatherface/Hot Water Music - Split CDWeezer - PinkertonNOFX - The DeclineDescendents - Milo Goes To CollegeAlkaline Trio - Maybe I'll Catch FireThe Weakerthans - Reconstruction SiteThe Lawrence Arms - Oh! Calcutta!Weezer - The Blue AlbumThe Loved Ones - Keep Your HeartAgainst Me! - As The Eternal Cowboy



Please login or register to post comments.
What are the benefits of having a Punknews.org account?
  • Share your opinion by posting comments on the stories that interest you
  • Rate music and bands and help shape the weekly top ten
  • Let Punknews.org use your ratings to help you find bands and albums you might like
  • Customize features on the site to get the news the way you want.

    Posted by kingofsuck on 2006-07-02 01:55:25
    My Score:

    I haven't listened to this album for about two years, but it really did have the worst cover art ever.

    Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, April 1, 2004 at 7:59 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    leatherface sure does it again they are one fine band, i like beer too.

    Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, March 25, 2004 at 6:25 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    The idiot who said get Mush and the Singles is way off the mark. Pick up everything you can from Leatherface. They are awesome, better than Jawbreaker.
    It annoys me when people make comments without hearing all their releases. Fill Your Boots and Minx are cracking also.
    DOG DISCO IS THE BUSINESS AND THE RECENT LIVE DATES BLOW AWAY MOST LIVE BANDS IN THE WORLD, EVEN HOT WATER MUSIC AND FACE TO FACE

    LEATHERFACE ARE THE REAL DEAL.

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, March 24, 2004 at 11:02 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    I love this band. I think everything they ever recorded is incredible, Frankie Stubbs is a fucking genius. This album just proves all that.

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, March 24, 2004 at 4:52 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    this record is fucking genius! back to the days of old, this album is an instant classic. people who don't know "mush", fill your boots", "minx", "the last" and all the singles are again left in the dark. please stop talking about the cover art. at least it's not a skull and crosbones,

    Posted by Anonymous on Monday, March 22, 2004 at 4:14 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    Hunt down "Mush" and and the singles dicography then call it a day!!

    Posted by Anonymous on Monday, March 22, 2004 at 4:13 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    Huge fan here...We all know that Leatherface put out 3 good records...Maybe-"Mush", Hot Water Split and the singles disc. This record took me 2 listens before i retired it to the sell pile. Disapointed again.

    Posted by Anonymous on Monday, March 22, 2004 at 1:48 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    my rating is to the album art....wow.

    Posted by Anonymous on Monday, March 22, 2004 at 1:08 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    They're better mate, trust me.

    Posted by Anonymous on Monday, March 22, 2004 at 11:57 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    i dont really see why jawbreaker is being mentioned here but if leatherface is anything like them i need to check them out

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, March 21, 2004 at 10:11 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    yep that dog is high as a kite

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, March 21, 2004 at 7:07 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    See kids, that's what happens when you let hippies design your album cover...

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, March 21, 2004 at 5:26 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    In the Leatherface Cannon this is an 8. Its a bit more Melodic than Horsebox.Its not Mush or Fill Your Boots(Why does no-one ever mention this, it is awesome).
    Yeah, Richie Hammond may not be there, but I don't think Stubbs ever relied on him.
    Saw them in Edinburgh the other night and they were superb.
    They are the best band in the UK and have been for the last 15 years.

    Posted by matt81 on 2004-03-21 02:06:16
    My Score:

    very good cd

    Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, March 20, 2004 at 10:22 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    Didn't have the album yet, but Leatherface is one of the best punk bands in history. And Jawbreaker's punk.

    Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, March 20, 2004 at 10:18 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    "jawbreaker is not punk."

    and they told everyone.

    wyzo

    Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, March 20, 2004 at 6:04 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    jawbreaker is not punk.

    Posted by notfeelingcreative on 2004-03-20 13:20:09
    My Score:

    Golden Retrievers kick ass.

    Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, March 20, 2004 at 12:40 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    score is for the album helping me squeeze out a good shit after the chinese buffet... too much General Tso's chicken

    Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, March 20, 2004 at 12:29 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    if you guys review the reissue of jawbreaker's dear you then maybe you'll be somewhat back in touch with punk rock, but this is a good start.

    wyzo

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, March 19, 2004 at 5:02 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    I'm not fond of Golden Retrievers. They should have put a German Sheppered on the cover instead.

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, March 19, 2004 at 4:01 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    artwork.

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, March 19, 2004 at 3:57 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    Man the best thing about this CD is the cover art.

    -BSD

    Posted by ElVaquero on 2004-03-19 13:48:54
    My Score:

    Man, I thought this was coming out next year or something. Whoa.

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, March 19, 2004 at 1:33 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    What the hell have these guys been smoking?

    -sickboi

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, March 19, 2004 at 1:30 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    Hoodlum is an amazing song!

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, March 19, 2004 at 1:01 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    it is actually spelled DILLINGER Four, i think

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, March 19, 2004 at 1:01 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    leatherface is ALL about bad album art. Them and Snuff. Must be some english thing.

    So is this a marked improvement from "Horsebox?" That one was pretty boring, and I'm wondering if it isn't because Stubbs lost his song writing partner, ie the other guitarist whose name eludes me.

    --Cos

    Posted by unconcerned on 2004-03-19 12:28:13
    My Score:

    This album couldn't possibly be more boring. Leatherface was one of those bands that I used to think were OK (not great but not bad) until I heard this piece of shit album and just couldn't believe it. These guys should have stayed down and ended on a positive note.

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, March 19, 2004 at 11:45 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    That cover is hilarious

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, March 19, 2004 at 11:28 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    I don't know if I like Leatherface anymore after hearing this record. It's not a bad record at all but every song reminds me of another song they did. So when I was listening to this record and recognizing parts from other songs, I wasn't sure if I even liked the original songs anymore. Something is wrong with me. I don't feel well.

    Posted by pastepunk on 2004-03-19 11:13:44
    My Score:

    really strong disc, and musically, one of the easiest releases to grasp on to; and Leatherface newbies (like myself) shouldn't be intimidated about the band and their legacy, as just giving this a few spins instantly shows why they've been so influential.

    Posted by Blarg on 2004-03-19 10:54:39
    My Score:

    yeah, that's some terrible artwork...but i'm definately going to give this a listen...

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, March 19, 2004 at 9:10 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    i like the album art. i think it is very relaxing and chill.

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, March 19, 2004 at 9:04 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    that is, absolutely, the WORST cover art i have EVER SEEN.

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, March 19, 2004 at 9:00 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    amazing band, the no idea-rooster wouldnt exist without this band

    their best albums are
    1)mush
    2)minx
    3)the hwm-split
    4)horsebox

    Posted by boldredletters on 2004-03-19 08:10:37
    My Score:

    while i haven't heard this album yet, anyone interested in checking them out should get either "cherry knowle," "horsebox," or the split with hot water music. and download the song "springtime," because the album it is on is hard to find in the states.

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, March 19, 2004 at 3:23 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    worst album artwork ever!

    great band though

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, March 19, 2004 at 2:34 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    first. i'd like to hear leatherface but never been in a situation where i could.