Stiff Little Fingers
““Guitar and Drum””
(Kung-Fu Records)
The esteemed Irish punk rockers Stiff Little Fingers are back again with Guitar and Drum, a record that isn’t as punk-fueled as earlier records from their 25-year career, but is still punk…so, I guess punk isn’t dead? SLF release this disc about a year after The Radio One Sessions and maybe finally they’ll escape the dreaded Clash comparisons, though maybe that’s not a big concern. See: Track #2, “Strummerville” (“You wore your heart on your sleeve/With honesty and pride/You gave me hope, made me believe/That what I did was right”). SLF probably do a good job at capturing their own punk rock spirit that hasn’t faded, but the addition of some refreshing reggae on Guitar and Drum doesn’t hurt either. And who could deny SLF’s relevance in today’s culture? Just watch the movie High Fidelity. Check out Guitar and Drum, after all, they were Green Day’s biggest inspiration (at least, according to the movie).
