Brass tacks - Just the facts (1999)

Tracklist:
01. Ain't gonna win
02. Skinhead rock and roll
03. For all i care
04. Trudge onwards
05. Just this once
06. Losing control
07. My friends and me
08. United pride
09. Feed the fire
10. Nice boys (Rose tattoo cover)
11. Oi toy
12. Scenester
13. Working class
14. Winsconsin hooligans
15. Back with a bang (Skrewdriver cover)

Released by Beer City Records in 1999.

Love this album sounds like a mixture off The bruisers and Hudson Falcons.
First off all where the hell did this sound go in the scene? I just love the RnR feeling and some bands aside (The barons, Brassic, The broadsiders and some others get it right in some songs) it seems Oi! has turned away from its 77 and RnR roots into a more streetpunk or hardcore sound. Not going on about how it was better before since the American scene basicilly spawned out off the hardcore scene but why does every new band sound the same today? I mean come on listen to the song Feed the fire and tell me that song doesnt heart and soul. Much of the intense feeling is thanks to Kyle's great vocals but the whole sound is not only great but also extremly diverse. Even if the RnR sound is present the whole record through both the lyrics and the all in all sound changes enough to keep you intrested the whole record through.
As much as i like old Skrewdriver i must say that Brass tacks actually does their song better with an acoustic intro and then after the first chorus the rest off the band jumps in and picks the tempo up a notch.
Personal favourites is Losing control and the streetfighting/partysong Skinhead rock and roll.
A shame that not many but me seems to understand this sound.
10/10

Download

It can be bought by a collector at Brutus Ecrater for 11$ or from Hardset Shop for 12,6$.

Brass tacks - The good life 7'' (1998)

Tracklist:
01. The good life
02. Positively Baldwin street
03. Lets smash some skulls
04. Dead or alive (Out of order cover)

Released by Headache Records in 1998.

A good skinhead rock'n'roll band from Wisconsin that had a short time in the spotlight but managed to do some really great songs during that time. The band consisted of Kyle on vocals, Pat on guitar, Matt on bass and Mike on drums. To be honest i dont really know much else about the band. One of those bands that i have all the material they released but never really known the band or who the members really are.

Their first release and as always on Headache Records its a solid one. It starts off with the great and honest song Living the good life about being an easy-going working man and being contempt with it. It might be sarcastic or honest but with lyrics like "I dont wanna hear about the starving kids in Albania/When im sittin in my underwear watching wrestlemania" it just cant go wrong.
Another great song is the cover of an old Out of order song where Kyle and the band leaves the safety of their r'n'r sound for a bit of a more classic punksound.
9/10

Download

It can still be bought at Interpunk for a puny 4$.