Bombs Over Providence – Shake Your Body Politic

I wanted to review this album a couple days ago, but due to a series of random events it kept getting delayed. Concerts, work, movies, and having to type up an interview all made this review get pushed back a bit. Then add the fact that I couldn’t think of what to say about the album, and you can see some major delays in writing a review. But in a way, I guess that was a good thing. Because over the past few days while I’ve been waiting on time to actually site down and review it I’ve had a chance to listen to Bombs Over Providence‘s Shake Your Body Politic multiple times – and this definitely helped because I’ve gotten more accustomed to the album than I was a few days ago.

An easy to way to describe the album would be to say it suits the Underground Operations roster, or maybe a slightly more melodic Closet Monster. Because that’s what it is, a classic punk album with some straight forward power chords, face paced drums and scratchy but solid vocals backed up by gang vocals for 75% of the songs. They songs are quick, strong and intelligent with sing along choruses that soon get you chanting along, drum beats that get your foot tapping and political lyrics.

But the thing that makes Shake Your Body Politic so good, and an album that I’ve been able to play endlessly the past few days is how the songs flow so nicely. Sure, there’s some songs that stand out above the others like Anyone Remember John Enis, Chair Of The Board Of Tourism For Bad Sex, Ont?, And The Award For Best Post-Coital Hug Goes To…, Pink Slip+1: 30% Resistance To Your Daughter’s New Pony or the absolutely phenomenal song Broken Records (which will instantly become a timeless classic for anyone who hears it) – but there’s not really a single song that really drags the album down or makes you to stop what you’re doing to skip. The only song that comes close to that is the closer, Class Aptitude Test Results Are In, And It’s Matyr Or Matador For Everybody! This song slows the record down a bit, particularly with the horrendous addition of 30 seconds of someone shitting or vomiting at the end – that just really ruins the feel of the album. But one quick click of the skip button and you’re pass the moment of awkwardness and ready to rock on again.

And while Shake You’re Body Politic won’t go down in history as a life-changing album, it is an album that will be able to last a good few years in your CD player without boring you.