Band : The Adicts
Album title : Life Goes On
Label : People Like You
Distributor : EMI – Hard Life Promotion
Release date : 24/08/2009
Release : CD

Goaaarrr…here’s a band you can néver go wrong with! From their very beginnings (which now goes back almost 45 years – the band being founded as Afterbirth & The Pinz in 1975), these Brits have mixed their Punk Rock up with rather clean vocals (for the genre), which comes from a feeling for both cabaret and Pop! This has made for album upon album of material which was typically recognizable as being The Adicts. True, the band’s 3 last albums prior to this one were set too much towards a lamer Pop Punk, but Life Goes On sees the band returning to their vintage sound, as displayed on their 1981 debut Songs Of Praise (a re-issue of which was reviewed by yours truly, posted 20/08/2008 – you’ll find more history on the band there!).

In other words, the rumour which was spread last year (by front man Monkey) was not just wishful thinking, and The Adicts are indeed going back to a rougher sound! Without forgetting to put in some Poppy feel through the inclusion of sing-along choruses and incredibly catchy guitar melodies! In some moments they do so with rather silly lyrics (check “Reaky Deaky Boys & Girls”) to boot! There’s also time for a somewhat disturbingly calmer passage (check the spooky piano intro “My Hard”, for instance…which also had an incredibly high debree of cabaret feel).

At any rate, you can check out the fact that the band has indeed gone back to their original tricks by listening to the 5 songs off the album they’ve posted at myspace.com/aditcs, where you’ll also still find enough older material to compare it to! In all honesty, I have to admit that I haven’t really followed this band’s career…even if I did buy some of their records over the years, whenever one happenstance my way…and I’ve never even heard any of the above mentioned “lesser” last 3 albums, but what they bring on Life Goes On is absolutely like The Adicts as I’ve known ‘em from yesteryear! In other words, Life Goes On is hereby promoted to my personal “Best Albums Of 2009”-listings, sub-category “Classiest Punk Rock”!

98/100

Tony.