Kid Dynamite
Jade Tree Records
During their brief existence, Kid Dynamite won over legions of loyal fans with their hyper-hummable brand of exuberant hardcore. Their music is sweaty, grimy, grinning punk rock without the overly aggressive political posturing that makes much of the post-Minor Threat American punk bands so tiresome. While Kid Dynamite's music may not be revolutionary, it is stunningly well-done. Singer Jason Shevchuk's evocative, raspy scream/shout singing recalls Blake Schwarzenbach (of Jawbreaker and Jets to Brazil).Dr. Dan Yemin (he has a hard-earned Ph.D. in psychology) sets each song on fire with the same searing guitar he perfected in Lifetime. Michael Cotterman's lightning fast bass and David Wagenschutz's artillery style drums keep the whole mix moving forward at breakneck speed.
While Kid Dynamite's music was aggressive, they weren't interested in changing the world, or force-feeding agendas down their listeners' throats: the whoah-oh choruses and silly song titles ("Rufus Wants a Hug," "Cheap Shot Youth Anthem") show that this band never took itself too seriously. That's not to say that all their music is carefree and lighthearted. In the scathing "News at 11," featured here, Shevchuk delivers a snarling indictment of the media in just under a minute. "News at 11" is from Kid Dynamite's self-titled 1998 album, which offers up 19 songs in just over 27 minutes.
The other featured song, "Three's A Party," is from the band's second album, 1999's Shorter, Faster, Louder. As the album name implies, these songs are short, fast, and bleeding loud! The entire album -- 18 songs -- clocks in at under 25 minutes, but Kid Dynamite never skimps on the songwriting. These minute-long anthems are loaded with guitars that are fierce enough to blister paint, drums that pound like a hangover headache, and bass that thunders along like an outraged father. Sadly, Kid Dynamite called it quits in January, 2000. Their total recorded legacy is less than an hour of music, but it's one hell of an hour.
Jeanne Acceturo
last updated:
08/14/01
Similar Artists:
Lifetime, 7 Seconds, Turning Point, Youth of Today
Other Suggestions:
Minor Threat,
No For An Answer,
Fugazi,
Black Flag,
Descendents,
Gorilla Biscuits,
Born Against,
Beyond,
Final Conflict,
Uniform Choice,
Naked Aggression,
Litmus Green,
Bad Brains,
Hot Water Music
