400 Blows

Item: Angel's Trumpets and Devil's Trombones
Author: Luke Kruse

Angel's Trumpets and Devil's Trombones

(2005)

Reviewed by Luke Kruse

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Label Gold Standard LabsDecapolisMay 2005

hardcore punk noise rock punk

400 Blows is a three piece punk rock band out of Los Angeles. "Punk Rock" is a term that has become a joke for the most part, and it is obvious that 400 Blows is a band wanting to reclaim punk music as the violent, anti-corporate protest music it originally was on their newest album, Angel's Trumpets & Devil's Trombones. Their brand of punk rock is raw and grating. You won't find anything here but distorted power chords, simple bass lines, howling vocals, and rapid drumming.

While the artistic integrity to be found on this record is admirable, Angel's Trumpets & Devil's Trombones is also completely devoid of memorable songs and any melody whatsoever. Sure, this record is punk rock at its most visceral, but all the great punk bands of yesterday (Ramones, Sex Pistols, Bad Religion) wrote songs that had the potential to demand repeated listens. Personally, I had trouble getting through this album enough times to write an informed review. The production here is done by Alex Newport, who has worked with At the Drive-In and The Locust, but it seems clear that he was under strict orders to make this record sound as primal as possible. That strategy does work to the band's favor -- the drums sound especially great here -- but perhaps Newport could have suggested the band add a little more structure and variety to their songs, as everything just sort of runs together.

Overall, if you like your music loud, unpolished and passionate 400 Blows might be a band you could thoroughly enjoy; however, this self-proclaimed "anti-melody" band probably will not do much for the average music listener. There are some moments on the record where the band works into a cool groove, but Angel's Trumpets and Devil's Trombones lacks any sort of staying power for anyone outside of the hardcore punk scene.

2/4