Attitude
We All Go Down Together (2006)
Brian Shultz
Punchy hardcore with Black Flag influences worn more visibly on their sleeves than a certain can of incesticide, Attitude's We All Go Down Together is a strong debut, sort of like a more muscular Western Addiction with more rock riffs and a sound leaning a bit closer to 'hardcore' than 'punk.'
Luckily, Attitude adopt some of those bands' socio-poliitcal awareness as well, taking aim at the "neo-con news" in the urgent, moving "Print Is Dead," wealthy politicans out for personal gain in "Scumbag," and racism in "Catch the Fever." Attitude may be in the early stages of their career, but they're writing about meaningful and relevant issues in anti-intellectual but hardly clichéd forms, and that makes We All Go Down Together very easy to like.
The album's best tracks are its bookends -- the catchy "More Than a Mouthful" pronounces squealing guitars at its chorus with Red Ranger's effective bark throughout and a bobbing bass-line popping in and out, while "We All Go Down Together" breaks down with a chant of the title that should raise a few hands and fingers when performed live. It seems to get a bit samey towards its middle section with the 'shout the 3-word song title plenty' mentality, notably for "Catch the Fever" and "Get the Shot," but these are solid tracks regardless so it isn't a major flaw, just a noticeable detriment.
Unlike Attitude, whose sorta jokey 36-second mosh crowd clearout closes the album, I'm having trouble wrapping this up, so let's just say that Attitude's interpretation of hardcore is pretty great and recommended. 1917, keep it up.