Left Alone - 'Dead American Radio' (Hellcat) Released 02/10/06

Left Alone are a four man punk outfit from California. Formed in 1996, the band have spent the past 10 years releasing EP's on Smelvis Records, owned by Left Alone's singer Elvis (not the dead one), and proudly clinging to their DIY punk ethics. After winning over Rancid's Tim Armstrong on the 2005 Warped Tour, the band signed to Hellcat Records and re-released their debut album. Now following hot on it's heels 'Dead American Radio' their second full length album, is a generous 16 tracks of old school punk and attitude in a Clash meets Rancid kind of way.

This band make loud, reliable punk rock and it's easy to see why they're signed to Armstrong's label, Left Alone aren't so much inspired by Rancid but bow down and kiss their feet. There's the same gravelly, smoke and whiskey induced vocal sound, the chant along chorus and the grooving basslines, the second track 'City To City' even features a guest vocal performance from the Rancid frontman. But just when you think the album's getting predictable, the band refuse to pigeon hole themselves with punk by numbers by introducing the Spanish lyrics of 'La Pregunta' which are given the female touch by Patricia Day of the Horrorpops, another Hellcat signing. Other surprises in the form of ska and the country sounding 'Waiting For You', a track Johnny Cash would be proud of, help make the album more interesting and adventurous. It also offers up some surprising gems, 'She's The Only One' and 'Bastard Son' which display their bruised hearts proudly on their sleeves.

The title track takes a dig at the shite they are inflicted with daily on the airwaves in America and the obsession with chart places, whilst the album's closing track 'I Hate Emo' is an amusing quip at those with crap hair "They look like girls..." This album is an anti-dote to the current plague of image obsessed bands, these guys take good old fashioned raw punk, honest lyrics and make pit starting tunes with them.