From the name and the album art I initially dismissed The Pariahs as a pop punk act, but boy, was I wrong.
Baby’s A Rocker might be under two minutes long but it has more in common with Wayne County and Johnny Thunders than the Offspring with its frowning gutter roar. Dirty rock is the key here for this Canadian band’s third album, but there’s more here than typical for the genre.
Joan Jett and
Yellow Alert might offer by-numbers boozy garage punk thrills, but
Nightime Of Knives is Danzig rumbling with Paw in a dank bar, and
Down Again is more Green River grunge than CBGB punk.
It may not be perfect music for the Christmas and New Year atmosphere, but The Pariahs' self-titled third release is a perfect antidote if some moron gets you a Darkness album for Christmas. Wildhearts fans will love this.
The Pariahs is out now on
Cargo Records.
www.thepariahs.com