From its onset, the tube-crunch
surf
guitar intro of
"Rat Patrol,"
Throb Throb
sizzles like grease in a frying pan until it comes to a halt some 30 minutes later. Like the tank on its cover,
Throb
is largely informed by an antagonism that rails against the
Reagan
ism that helped spawn intelligent '80s
post-punk
groups much like
Naked Raygun
. Titles like
"Surf Combat,"
a song about the effects of napalm at popular beaches,
"Gear,"
a braggadocio commentary about nuclear weapons and the arms race, and
"Managua,"
in which troops march to their impending death, exemplify
's political mentality and musical gravity, which are a direct result of the '80s Cold War.
sends the songs up with a sense-raping frazzle and dissonance. While not as furious as
Huesker Due
or as angry as
the Misfits
,
is no less vehement, and ever the more working-class. With comprehensible lyrics everyone can understand and chant, and a plethora of race-against-time guitar melodies,
is rare in that it appeals to academics as well as rednecks, straight-shooters as well as in-the-know punks. Borrowing from the big-guitar sound of English
heavy metal
bands like
Iron Maiden
and carving catchy melodies usually reserved for Top 40
pop
songs into firebrands like
"I Don't Know"
and
"Libido,"
assures
's place as a classic that is forever ahead of its time, regardless of when it is heard. The
Quarterstick
reissue of
comes with a booklet that contains rare photos of the band, concert set lists, and two short tribute essays. A shortened version of
"Libido"
is the reissue's only bonus track. ~ Bob Gendron