Fist City
It's 1983, Grow Up!
Black Tent Press

"Fist City" is a country song from 1968, written and performed by Loretta Lynn. Inspired by her husband's dalliances with other women who pursued him while she was busy touring, Lynn wrote the song as a warning for other women to stay away from him if they do not wish to be soundly beaten. (source: wikipedia). Fist City is also a four-piece rock-band from Lethbridge, AB Canada. Let's focus on the latter, shall we.

Fist City is a punk spirited combo (Kier Griffiths, Brittany Griffiths, Ryan Grieve, Evan Van Reekum), with a sympathetic debut album, It's 1983, Grow Up!. Presenting a fresh and vital band, with a nice bouquet of songs. Short and to the point. Imagine a young, fresh Superchunk meets a young, fresh Mission of Burma. Maybe tinted with Dead Kennedys and Germs attitude (with the exception of the pace of those two), plus Sex Pistols, even the Ramones, as well. But, hey, I'm not saying they're stuck among the old-timers of the oldboys league of punk. Musical relations could be pointed towards No Age, f.i., even though there are big differences between them. Anyway, Fist City are indeed very cool, and they've got some songs that really grabs and kicks. Instant favourites are "Wet Freaks", "Caveman's Lunch", "Spit", "Never Bored", and "Endless Bummer" (an opposite to the Beach Boys?).

Way cool, this one. Even though all the 12 songs aren't good/strong enough, it's not a big issue here. That doesn't matter, as long as the spirit is pogoing, ever-going, throughout the album.

Copyright © 2012 Håvard Oppøyen