Anarchy Jerks/Brain Failure Split Review

Recently , I visited the excellent CD Replay, a record store owned by a good friend named Todd. I was looking through the 7-inches, hoping to find some powerviolence EP's. While I was digging, I came across a split EP by Brain Failure and Anarchy Jerks, not so subtly titled "Anarchy in the P.R.C."   On the cover was two snarling, Chinese punks. They were stood in front of the Tienanmen gate. Curious, as I have an interest in Chinese Punk ideology,

  I immediately bought it.

The idea of an Anarcho-Punk movement in the People's Republic of China is a great one. The country is in great need of a subversive youth movement, and what would make a  better one than punk?

Ideologically, these guys are heroes- musically. . . not so much.

Brain Failure clearly takes influence from The Clash and Flogging Molly, going so far as to ape Joe Strummer's  sometimes hushed, whispered vocals on the song "Living in the City." Overall, there side of the split is mediocre, offering some overtly-par punk rock.

Side two is much more interesting. The Anarchy Jerks play with the punk formula a little it, adding a rockabilly riff on the track "Oi, Oi, Oi!"


Overall, this record is neat on an ideological basis but it rings nothing new to the table musically.

5/10/