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Album Details

• Artist: Randy
• Album: Welfare Problems
• Label: Burning Heart / Epitaph
• Year of Release: 2003
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: dscanland on 2003-07-23

Randy is a punk band that has been gaining notoriety over the past few years. Their Human Atom Bomb has pretty much been accepted as a Swedish punk classic alongside of Refused. Welfare Problems is the next chapter in their North American takeover. Stefan Granberg is as snarly as ever reminding me of The (International) Noise Conspiracy ever so slightly. On tracks like "Bad, Bad, Bad" Randy is almost into retro punk ala the Rezillos only with a harder edge. The bands political mandate still exist, even if it's in a more subtle manner. You might think that the band is a little more into garage rock this time around with the danceable beats of "We're All Fucked Up More Or Less". "X-Ray Eyes" sounds more like a pop song than punk. Don't write off Randy as another one of those NYC sounding bands. These guys have something genuine that deserves to be heard. The took the help of Pelle Gunnerfeldt for production duties. Welfare Problems takes off where they were going on last year's EP Cheater and runs away with the prize. Move Human Atom Bomb over for a place on your shelf for Welfare Problems. This is indeed a shining moment for Randy.

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