The Casualties

The Casualties: We Are All We HaveWe Are All We Have (2009)
Side One Dummy Records

Reviewer Rating: 2

User Rating:

Contributed by: crackpotdemagoguecrackpotdemagogue
(others by this writer | submit your own)
Published on September 4th 2009The Casualties are one of the few bands of the 'street punk' genre to have enjoyed relative success since their inception in the early nineties. Most bands over the course of two decades either evolve into something more complex, dissolve into other projects or simply wither away into obscurity; the.

The Casualties are one of the few bands of the 'street punk' genre to have enjoyed relative success since their inception in the early nineties. Most bands over the course of two decades either evolve into something more complex, dissolve into other projects or simply wither away into obscurity; the Casualties have done none of these things -- today still churning out the same cringe-worthy and embarrassing parody-laden shout-alongs as they always have, as latest album We Are All We Have is here to testify.

There is no hesitation when it comes to embracing cliché after cliché, as opener "Carry on the Flag" illustrates with some archetypal lyricism straight from the Roger Miret handbook: "We carry on the flag / we're still going strong / when others are gone / we're here to unite / that is the reason we're here tonight." All the staples are there: the "whoa-oh"s, the gang-vocal shout-alongs, all alongside the same confused sense of disillusion as is pre-requisite of any Casualties release.

But it's not all bad. There are some good riffs here and there (see "We Are All We Have" and "Looking Through Bloodshot Eyes") and no one can dispute that the Casualties are good at what they do -- it's just that what they do is tired and long since worn out.

Album closer "Rockers Reggae (Working Man's Dub)" reveals perhaps why the Casualties have never strayed too far from their comfort zone of hardcore/street punk -- their harsh, screamed vocals transposes into dub style as easily as a lead balloon floats on water; the song itself drags on and on, over and over almost as if it is on some kind of never-ending loop -- a bit like the Casualties themselves, who have with this latest album proven yet again that their minds remain trapped in some tragically perceived golden age of UK-'82, where nothing ever changes, where the music stays the same.

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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.

donny (January 17, 2010)

good album by a great band. it's actually nice to see a band that didn't "evolve into something more complex, dissolve into other projects or simply wither away into obscurity" after 20 years, but still do what they do best - play some street punk. And while a lot of good bands that played this type of music are gone by now, it's good to have a band that stays true to their beliefs and keeps street punk alive! a big fuck you to all the casualties haters.

hobbzoid (January 17, 2010)

You're an idiot if you think NOFX or Bad Religion sound anything like they did 20 years ago. Suffer is fucking slow and simple compared to any of the new records. Fucking stole the albums anyway didn't you? Idiots.

hobbzoid (January 17, 2010)

Clowns with liberty spikes.

TSOL (December 2, 2009)

I have always hated the Casualties. Stupid mindless punx. No score for me since I have not/will not listen to this album.

Force-Fed-Tacos (October 27, 2009)

This album I think is the best since En Linea De Frente. But it saddens me that there were no spanish shit. I mean its jorges fucking native language but no he caters to the english speaking audience which I find sad. I like their spanish stuff it feels more in your face.

Onto the album I found it quite good as Jorge has basically stopped writing songs that go "OIOIOIOIOI IM PUNK AS FUCK OIOIOIPUNKPUNKPUNK!!!"
I think the album has good potential to be something amazing [for me that is. They have to beat KMFDM to be considered amazing by my standards] but.....no. I love the tune for Rockers Reggae...but holy fucking shit 8 fucking minutes? They could of shortened it down greatly and it would of been awesome.
I would like to see another album by them thats if they make it to another album the only thing that still needs to change is the way Jorge "sings"
To me best songs on there was Carry on the Flag, In The Tombs [that song made me want to buy the album] War is Business and We Are All We Have.
They just need to do something different its like a broken record.

GrrraveSS (September 17, 2009)

Not sure why the reviewer or anyone else familiar with the Casualties would be the least bit surprised this record is the same musically and lyrically as all theyre other records. They have hit on a formula and apparently a successful one as its allowed them a near 20 year career. The Casualties know that they have very limited songwriting and musical abilities. They also know that the punk scene in general tends to look down on the streetpunk spiky hair scene as cliched and fashion centric. They also know that theres an audience for them and THEY MAKE GOOD MONEY DOING WHAT THEY DO. So, give em what they want. Im not saying the Casualties are sellouts. Far from it. Obviously, they havnt changed a bit. But whatever they say about working class this or that, they can afford to be "punk and proud" because they make a comfortable living doing what they do. Just check out the merch table at one of therye shows. If your over 30 and playing in a worldwide touring punk band your not struggling finantially, and thats basically whatever next Casualties cookie cutter album amounts to. A little moolah to keep the old punk rock machine greased. God bless em

theclassybass (September 14, 2009)

never good, this is no exception. Nice AWS reference.

ivano (September 6, 2009)

Love the end of the review. metaphysical I'd say.

mikexdude (September 6, 2009)

Never was that big on these guys, but shit, the title track sounds awesome.

RedElephant (September 5, 2009)

score is for bands that sound like they spend as much time doing their hair as they do writing songs.

Grue (September 5, 2009)

Score is for the cover. Seriously, 3 fucking wolves? You can't be serious.

usversusthem (September 5, 2009)

The Kids Can Eat a Bag of Dicks > this

thepopeofchili-town (September 5, 2009)

LOL at the guy who said the Casualties are better than Brand New. Score is for this album and that dude combined.

damo (September 5, 2009)

nofx sound way different now than they did 20 years ago. i agree about bad religion though

damo (September 5, 2009)

i'm still tryi g to get into this. not a fan of street punk as it's usually cringewrothy but the We Are All We Have song is great so i'm still persisting. Maybe they are just gonna be like Against All Authority for me where i only like 1 song but i'll persist until the Teenage Bottlerocket and Strung Out records are out

Misanthropee (September 5, 2009)

You know, I don't hate the Casualties that vehemently anymore. There are so many awful bands out there, and if you actively hate them all you'll go nuts with rage.

RavenEffect (September 5, 2009)

I thought the title track and In The Tombs were fun songs,but just like all the other Casualties albums,the rest of the album is forgettable.

The last track is one of the most embarrassing things I've heard in a while.

shark-e (September 4, 2009)

The problem is not that they haven't strayed from their original genre, despite whether or not their sound has adapted within it. The problem is street punk doesn't tend to allow for much variation or innovation, as the reviewer addressed. Even skate punk bands like Bad Religion or NOFX have more leeway.
The Casualties are facing a major roadblock in that street punk is total bullshit to begin with, and there's little they can do to change it.

Jelone (September 4, 2009)

Bahahahaha.

pencilsssssssssssssssssss (September 4, 2009)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMe-2KNHkyA

i like them and don't give a fuck about everyone hating them. they're loud noisy punk rock how it should be. for the punx will always be a favorite album even though i haven't heard it in like 10 years. the new stuff i don't really care and haven't heard. it's always nice to be a punk kid listening to bands like this when all the other fools like eminem or whatever the fuck was going on at the time, blink182 fucking shit. you're like fuck that i listen to street punk fuck you!!

punker001 (September 4, 2009)

NOFX, Bad Religion etc are still playing the same thing they did 20 years ago but ppl dont slag them off?? I'm not the biggest Casualties fan but this albums pretty good. Good production, riffs etc! With a voice like his there is no way they cud play any other styles :)

blip (September 4, 2009)

predictable review. anyone who has even remotely followed the casualties could tell you that their sound hasn't stayed static since 1990. yes, it's still hardcore street punk, but how many bands deviate so far their original sound that they aren't in the same genre anymore? Bad Religion certainly hasn't, nor Pennywise or even Lagwagon, really.

telegraphrocks (September 4, 2009)

Casualties fans humor me.... such fascinating people.

Anyway, BIG surprise that this review would arrive with not-that-great of a score.
I'm simply not gonna bother listening to it, because I know I won't dig it. It would appear you only did just to rip on it.

If kids are into this shit, let them be into it. It's definitely a LOT better than TOTAL garbage like Cobra Starship, Bring Me The Horizon, Brand New, Avenged Sevenfold, 3Oh3!, etc....

cyanotic (September 4, 2009)

I like street punk quite a lot, but this band has always been atrocious. The vocals and lyrics especially make them completely unlistenable.

hot_cheetos (September 4, 2009)

This review might be a bit biased, but it's true for the most part. I was briefly into the Casualties in high school, I guess you could say they were my gateway into hardcore punk. "Fight For Your Life" is still a great song, the rest, I could take it or leave it.

lostandclowned (September 4, 2009)

Hilarious review.

TheEnforcer (September 4, 2009)

who ever wrote this review is a fucking loser.
and i don't even like The Casualties.