LAST CRUSADE and ALTERNATE ACTION vinyl releases

THE LAST CRUSADE - SELF TITLED ALBUM

LONGSHOT/REBELLION

This Canadian-English Oi!  group managed to squeeze out this LP before their unfortunate demise. Calling it a day due to singer Karl’s job in the UK ceasing, and also having to return to Canada for visa reasons, this is a more than worthy statement and documentation on their shortish existence. Its been out a while

This is melodic  “twangy” Oi! with a nod to The Templars.  The catchy  “One of us” sets the tone (and with a start that is reminiscent of “Love will tear us apart”).  I loved their 7” (which was actually a demo) and “Morally Bankrupt” which appears again here gets a new life with the beefier production. There’s a salute to fellow ( also defunct) Oi! Canadians with a cover of “Who the fuck are you?”  “Deadbeat”, also from their 7” is ramped up here.

This is great catchy singalong Oi!   The artwork is great, nice innersleeve with lyrics. Cover is totally 80’s, love it! On high rotation. It's been out a while (released late last year).

ALTERNATE ACTION –THE THIN LINE; THE COMPLETE DISCOGRAPHY

LONGSHOT/REBELLION/BORDS DE SEINE

I first stumbled upon this a while back when it cued itself up on youtube after I’d played something else, and it immediately caught my ear. I’d heard about AA through them having a split with MARCHING ORDERS ages back, and through singer Greg Huff being in BISHOPS GREEN. Anyway, I was taken with this straight away when I first heard it, and kept playing it on youtube, swearing I’d break   the vinyl only code and look for a copy (was originally only released on CD in 2008). I kept spending more $$ on records, and would often play it still on youtube. So when I found out it was being released again on vinyl, well, fuck me, wasn’t  I a happy little camper? Even better, managed to get it here in Australia thru Resist before it was sold out. Happy Fricken days eh?

Still can’t get enough of this shit. This is top shelf catchy, melodic singalong Oi!/Streetpunk. Whatever, it’s just punk rock eh?  The jewels in this treasure chest are the two openers “Dead End Street”, “Keep Running”, “Plastic Society”, “Nowhere to go” on side 1, and “Thin Line”, and “Wasted Lies” on Side 2, but hey, it’s all good. Greg Huff’s trademark yowl and underdog/working class lyrics combined with snappy melodic guitars and choruses  make this a winner. (Inspiration from the likes of Sparrer and the Test Tubes are evident).

This is well worthy of a re-release on vinyl. I’ve waited a while to get this, and worth the wait. Top shelf release, as per usual from Longshot/Rebellion. If I could fault this in any way, I would have liked to of seen a bit more info on the songs etc as this release is culled from various releases and unreleased stuff, and perhaps lyric son the innersleeve. This works well a standalone release album though (as a “proper album”, and not a comp). For me, probably (re)release of the year.

chrismccousin@gmail.com