New Mexican Disaster Squad / Western Addiction

New Mexican Disaster Squad / Western Addiction: SplitSplit (2004)
No Idea Records

Reviewer Rating: 4

User Rating:

Contributed by: HeinHein
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Published on January 14th 2005Here's a split for those, like myself, who still can enjoy a couple songs that are wild, furious and linked to an era when punk was pure and true.Think 80's U.S. hardcore in Government Issue, MDC or maybe even Dag Nasty style. I'm sure I should name a couple others, as I recognize this music very we.

Here's a split for those, like myself, who still can enjoy a couple songs that are wild, furious and linked to an era when punk was pure and true.Think 80's U.S. hardcore in Government Issue, MDC or maybe even Dag Nasty style. I'm sure I should name a couple others, as I recognize this music very well but my band name memory is really worthless as you already might have noticed. With this one, you can put aside your modern day squeaky clean poppy, emo, screamo or ska-punk-rock and enjoy eight songs of cranking energy.

Orlando's New Mexican Disaster Squad previously had a full-length out in 2003 on A-F Records and will start recording for a new one in March 2005. This one has three brand new songs by them and a cover of Bad Brains. What can I say; pounding drumming, blazing guitars and a hardcore voice, somewhat similar to Ian MacKaye's Minor Threat period, but with a Russ Rankin (Good Riddance) edge. "Porcelain End" sounds a bit more fragile I guess, and has a less attacking approach, but the Bad Brains cover is another minute of pure euphoria. It's all OK what these guys do here.

But the thing that got me writing this review definitely were the four songs by Western Addiction from San Francisco, who actually had a 7" on Fat Wreck in 2003. It's clearly the same approach here, but this guy's voice was just created for this brand of music that has a somewhat more catchy sound. And their cover of Naked Raygun's "Rat Patrol" is sounding better than the original, which these days would sound pretty bland I guess.

Lately I've really been rediscovering this genre, with also bands like Bullet Treatment who manage to get me back a few decades. Readers here probably are younger than this old man and won't give a shit about the 80's, but those who like a band like 7 Seconds who are still alive, maybe a bit of Strike Anywhere and tough Good Riddance songs will also like these raging songs.

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Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not respon sible for them in any way. Seriously.

Anonymous (January 17, 2005)

This split is rad. I like the Western Addiction side alot better, but the NMDS side is still really good. WA needs to put out a full length, seriously. I'm not kidding.

colleen (January 17, 2005)

yessssss western addiction

kenjamin (January 15, 2005)

haha, who would have thought being an animal science major would come into play on a punk site?

Anonymous (January 15, 2005)

$6 bucks on vinyl or cd through No Idea... that's a fucking steal boys and girls.

notfeelingcreative (January 15, 2005)

Ahh, NMDS the sole component of the Orlando scene.

Anonymous (January 14, 2005)

NMDS are fucking great.

gladimnotemo (January 14, 2005)

NMDS sounds like "Out of Step"-era with the vocals, I'd say. On the song on the No Idea site, he has those talking spurts like Ian does on that album. The song is a lot slower than the Western Addiction one...more guitar like Out of Step too

I think you'd really like both bands, BSD. But who I am to say that...

Anonymous (January 14, 2005)

NMDS more like latter-day MT or the first two EPs?

-BSD

Anonymous (January 14, 2005)

oh yeah... and the whole layout of the artwork is totally badass.
-that guy that wrote the last thing

Anonymous (January 14, 2005)

The NMDS songs are fucking killer, and a lot more complex than the Western Addiction songs, but both bands are great... NMDS totally shreds it up on Social Divorce, and Porcelain End is melodic mid-tempo hardcore at it's best. It sounds really DC to me... like Dag Nasty or something... and their cover of FVK by Bad Brains owns Shai Hulud's cover of it... No Idea fucking fules.

Anchors (January 14, 2005)

Yeah he's right about it being a croc. I thought the same thing as you, Sickboi, but then I saw this picture:

http://www.namibweb.com/crocodile.JPG

Same mouth, eyes, and teeth structure and placement.

In any event, score's for the Florida Gators and my hope they will once again return to college football greatness.

Anonymous (January 14, 2005)

One of the best punk records of the year, even though its a split... you should check this out.

Anonymous (January 14, 2005)

its one of those Crocagators.

BrandonSideleau (January 14, 2005)

na...its a croc.....the curves in the jaws...the positioning of the teeth, the skin texture...the only reason I know this stuff is because I've seen the real picture that they got this from.....it's actually a Nile Crocodile. lol I know I must sound like a spazz...but I'm an animal science major...these things just jump out at me.

sickboi (January 14, 2005)

Are you sure Brandon? I thought Croc's had raised eyes and thinner mouths?

Anonymous (January 14, 2005)

I think No Idea might be the strongest label in punk rock today.

OC

BrandonSideleau (January 14, 2005)

To the alligator guys.....that's actually a crocodile, you can tell by the eyes and the mouth. lol just thought that was a relevent fact.

inagreendase (January 14, 2005)

NMDS's vocals got way gruffier on this release. It almost sounds like a different guy singing.

And ironically enough, despite all of their Minor Threat-worship, I thought Western Addiction sounded a lot more like the modern equivalent.

Cool split regardless.

bizzlebrizzle (January 14, 2005)

Shit. For ages I got mixed up and thought this was a split with Western Waste. Who are far superior. Ah well. Score's for me.

Western Waste is descent, I saw them with Sick Of It All once.

But you don't like NMDS? They're definitely superior to Western Waste.

gladimnotemo (January 14, 2005)

This is on my "BUY NOW" list....I just haven't done so yet.

thirtyseconds (January 14, 2005)

Shit. For ages I got mixed up and thought this was a split with Western Waste. Who are far superior. Ah well. Score's for me.

bizzlebrizzle (January 14, 2005)

I love NMDS!

dazed (January 14, 2005)

Gators represent indeed.
I like this split, it was interesting to hear NMDS playing more melodic a la Strike Anywhere although I think I prefer it when they play simpler/angrier. And now that I've heard Western Addiction I need to get their Fat 7" asap...

Anchors (January 14, 2005)

Score is for the artwork, since is has an alligator on it.

Florida Gators, represent.

Oh, the music is good too.

Anonymous (January 14, 2005)

this score is for me.

mykindofmurder (January 14, 2005)

i love that artwork. and i love splits too. as long as they have good bands...

Anonymous (January 14, 2005)

New Mexican Disaster Squad is one of the best band names I've ever heard. But they're still not that great.