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Kids Like Us - The Game

Rating

RIYL

The Mongoloids
The Warriors
Eyehategod
Down To Nothing

Release Date

08/18/2009

Label

Eulogy Recordings

Tracklist

01. The Motorcycle Boy Returns
02. Mofongo
03. Serves The South
04. Black Box Warning
05. Snitchblade
06. Streets Of Fire
07. Evil People
08. Sulture Shock
09. Synthesizer Nerd
10. The Game

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Recent Ratings
Jake ebolarama Oliver	Bill Lohr

Going to hardcore shows has become a tedious task. Nothing is fun anymore. The kids all look like they came off an assembly line, the music all sounds the same and everyone seems to be five foot nothing with napoleon complexes. True fans have been left pondering as to who or what was going to be the glue that brings everything back together. In 2002, northern Florida natives Kids Like Us started off as a band just looking to play some shows and have fun. Now after two full lengths, a few splits and demos and years of touring under their belt, KLU is set to release what could be the wake up call to all those just standing in line at the coffee machine; a giant cup of adrenaline known as The Game

Coming up with an original sound in the hardcore scene is a most difficult task to accomplish nowadays. However, KLU‘s The Game, might very well be the start of something fresh and new being put out on the offering plate. Many bands are trying to blend southern-rock, metal and hardcore together but no one is going about it the way these guys are. Imagine if you will, a band that takes the sounds of Eyehategod, The Mongoloids and Down to Nothing, mixes them all together and puts it all out on an album less than thirty minutes long. The Game is full of fast, energetic fury and fun. It carries a set of big brass balls all while not showing off too much. The opening track “The Motorcycle Boy Returns” fits its title. It sounds like the perfect groove to get on your cruiser, open the throttle and just disappear into the distance. Lars’ vocals are more phlegm-filled then ever, making it an interesting listen, but I’ll tell ya what… IT WORKS! On “Black Box Warning” Lars unleashes a storm of lyrical vehemence. With lyrics like, “Cause life isn't shit, it's mostly what you make it and if you don't like yours, I'm gonna fucking take it.” Profound or not, the lyrics definitely hit hard. Besides, not everything needs to sound like it came out of a poetry book from the 1800s. This is hardcore folks, it’s supposed to be fun. Also, to close the song down, guitarist Freshmeat adds an unexpected bluesy solo. The last track, which shares the same title as the album, is a perfect ender. KLU puts out some nasty riffs and grooves over top some old school drum work making it impossible for you to not bob you head at least a little.

The production values on this album are spectacular. The guitars sound like the crunching of cars at a monster truck rally, the bass is loud and dirty as hell and the snare is by far one of the hardest hitting snares I have heard on an album in a long time, which can be heard extra well on “Synthesizer Nerd”. This album is a complete progression forward from everything they have done prior. Like I stated above, lyrically the album is nothing mind blowing, but it does one thing very well, and that is adding a “who gives a fuck” attitude to every aspect of their music.

KLU obviously do not care what others think. They are playing a brand of hardcore that no one else seems to be doing… and kids seem to be drinking the Kool-Aid. They are making the cliché statement, “We are here just to have fun,” actually sound true for once. Hopefully other bands start to feed off the intensity this band has. The Game is by far their best work yet and will most certainly leave listeners asking themselves, “WHAT’S NEXT?!” If KLU continues to progress the way they have been, there should be no doubt in anyone’s mind that they will end up being a force to reckon with in the hardcore scene. So in a nutshell… kids should be thanking these guys for making hardcore fun again.

--Bill Lohr