When you look at the roster of BYO Records, also known as Better Youth Organization, it’s a venerable list of the punk rock elite. 7 Seconds, The Unseen, Throwrag, Alkaline Trio, One Man Army, Rancid, Hot Water Music, The Bouncing Souls, The Briefs, and Youth Brigade, just to name a few of the genre kings that were part of the family at this independent, Los Angeles based label. This label has been kicking out the jams since 1982 and now they want to throw a little party.
Pennywise – We’re Gonna Fight
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BYO released the box set Let Them Know: The Story of Youth Brigade and BYO Records in celebration for their 25th Anniversary, two years too late, but this is punk rock, right? The set is complete with glossy photos, rare memorabilia, and a documentary which all focus on the foundation of Youth Brigade, BYO, and the often secondary LA punk scene in the 1980’s.
While the documentary and the glossy photos are great and all, the 31-track two disk set is the real fruit of the set. In compiling this record, the cheeky folks at BYO decided on having one BYO artist cover a song of another artist on the label. This makes for some extraordinary tracks. The opening track represents BYO itself and the statement that you’re only as old as you act. “Young til I Die”, originally done by 7 Seconds, is done here by The Bouncing Souls. The Matt Skiba cover of “I Scream” by The Brigade is worth the album price alone. It’s eerily peaceful, synthesized beats transport back to The Cure and are very similar to Skiba’s side project, Heavens. The American Steel cover of Alkaline Trio’s “Dead and Broken” gives honor to the original and does a fantastic job. Amongst these gems, there are a few lumps of coal that over time, may become precious themselves – but for now, I’m skipping over them. The Krum Bums cover of Alkaline Trio’s “Hating Every Minute” is quite the audio assault, as well as the crunchy Pennywise cover of “We’re Gonna Fight” by 7 Seconds.
However “meh” those two tracks are, this album still remain a great buy. Every facet of the Southern California punk scene is accurately and magnificently represented. This album fits! If you’re looking to reminisce the LA punk of yore, wanting to see where the scene is headed, in the need for a crash course, or looking for good music, BYO delivers. Happy Anniversary indeed.
