Kid Dynamite

Kid Dynamite (1998)

John Gentile

This article is part of a series where we discuss editor Brittany Strummer's favorite records Review by Chris Moran

Spontaneous, energetic, ambitious, honest, genuine, fun, and a lot of heart. This description encapsulates my departed friend Brittany Strummer. Its also tells you everything you need to know about an album that means a lot to both of us. Kid Dynamite's debut self-titled album.

Upon their inception, the band was held to the lofty standards of guitarist Dan Yemin's prior endeavor, Lifetime. But in retrospect, and 20 years later, we have an additional appreciation for Kid Dynamite. It was the world's introduction to Jason Shevchuk, with a voice that through another record and later releases via his follow-up project None More Black, became one of the most identifiable and loved in punk rock.

The record is 27:06 of some of the most sincere and urgent melodic hardcore ever recorded. It fires out the gate with "Pause", with its blistering-paced call-and-answers, then immiately leading into the riffage of "K05--0564".

This is where I would continue to give you an overview of the best tracks on this record, or maybe offer some constructive criticism. But I'm not going to do that. This review is for Brittany, she loved this entire album start to end. Because she had great taste in music. She wouldn't bother telling you every little nuance, she'd tell you "GO LISTEN TO THIS RECORD NOW". And she would be 100% correct. Its about as close to a flawless record as you can hope to achieve.

So do a solid for my friend, if you've never heard this record, go listen to it, wherever you can find it, right now. For the other 99% of you, get a friend to listen to it. If all of your friends have heard it, just turn it on, turn it up and sing along. You know the words.