The Vicious hail from Umea, Sweden, leftovers of the venerable socialist scene of the late-nineties. They share almost no musical similarities to those bands though. They take the melody of 77 punk and the angst of KBD and work it to perfection. While their lyrics border tacky at times, "The pigs are/ kicking in doors/ breaking bottles/ I wish I knew how to solve all of your problems" goes the chorus of one song, they also seem relevant in a somewhat dated way. This band more than any other reminds me of the angst of adolescence, the hopelessness of being a fuck-up. This album has stood the test of time. Since I first heard it, I would easily say that I have listened to it three times a week (for the past four plus years).
Fast forward to The Know in Portland, 2007. Drinking in the back of a van on the way to Portland, peeing in empty bottles. Stumbling into the jam-packed bar, we pushed right up to the front. I was already feeling jaded on punk rock by a few years at this point. I remember (albeit faintly) that it was hot in the show side, to the point of terror and discomfort. The bassist of the band wore her leather jacket zipped up to the collar, sleeves worn straight. I have never seen someone show such little regard to body temperature in my life, she just didn't give a fuck. They played a half-hour of punk rock with such vigor and attitude that I easily refer to it as a turning point in my musical spectrum. I walked out of the bar with a new found respect for music and a strange, unexplainable hope for punk rock. It's a shame, because at this point, this is the only scene that I still hold that light towards.
Link after the jump...
