Stay Alive

Vinyl for My Friends [7 inch] (2008)

Brian Shultz

A hardcore band from Brooklyn with the current drummer of BOLD? Yeah, this probably sounds nothing like what you expect.

Stay Alive obliterate pre-conceived notions that might develop from such a background with infectious, potent and gruff melodic hardcore on Vinyl for My Friends that seems to take liberal cues from late `90s purveyors like As Friends rust circa God Hour or so and Silent Majority.

The way-too-short Vinyl for My Friends is bookended by two more serious numbers, the dynamic "Footsteps" and the forbidden beat-inflected "Everything's for Sale," with two more jokey songs in between. The title track is a rugged, fast blast with a perfectly punctual and actually well-placed mosh part, while "No Police on the Beach" is a goofy bro-punk anthem with a nice jolt of energy at the end ("Don't take my drugs / Don't take my beer / I'm chillen [sic]!"

A real good 45 -- hopefully Stay Alive gets some more stuff out soon.

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Vinyl for My Friends 7"