"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.