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While the comparisons to Rancid are somewhat unavoidable (not particularly in a sound-for-sound comparison but in overall style), Burlington, Ontario’s Jersey have dished up a pleasing array of bang-on, roots-and-branches punk rock with Generation Genocide; an album that definitely carries its own weight.
The 14 tracks that grace the album are chock full of wonderfully distorted guitar bits, full-fledged runs of deliciously raucous chord melting, and some wildly apparent bass plucking from John Lubera. Mixed in with the up-front punk-meets-hard rock concoctions are some rather deep pockets of melody and attractive rhythms, especially on title track ‘Generation Genocide’, ‘Violation Detonation’, and the lip-smacking ‘Lessons’.
Although most punk fans may find the use of keyboards a little foreign when it comes to this brand of music, Greg Taylor’s keyboard work is right on the mark, and it doesn’t take anything away from any of the track’s rocket-fuelled glory. ‘Richmond Resurrection’ shines above all cuts with its damn near orgasmic bridge and chorus relationship, and ‘Saturday Night’ is destined to be a single due to its stellar mainframe. Jersey does a great job at telling stories as well, especially in ‘The Story Of 53’ about an average everyday Joe who decides to hold up a bank, swept along by a rather contagious refrain, while ‘Shop Floor’ has Greg harping on the mundane routines of a nine-to-five job. Although ‘Crossfire’ hinges on the slower side because of the harmony, it’s wonderfully balanced by the power drill torque of ‘City Streets’, a track reminiscent of Jersey’s past material to some extent.
With Generation Genocide, it seems like Jersey is growing up a tad… but just enough to catapult their song writing without losing the hell-bent fervour that has graced their music. Related Link(s):
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