ALBUM REVIEW: For Family And Flag Vol 2 (Pirates Press Records)
Few record labels do compilations as well as Pirates Press Records, and that’s purely down to the strength and variety of bands on its roster.
It’s become something of a tradition for the label to celebrate landmark releases with a very special compilation album.
Release No 200 was a triple LP, One Family, One Flag, and its 300th was For Family And Flag Volume 1 (reviewed here).
Diversity
PPR400 is another excellent collection of bands who show the label’s sheer diversity of talent, from working class soul to street-punk and reggae to raging hardcore.
Only three of the bands featured here were on Vol 1, and five of the tracks are previously unreleased, making this LP the only way to get them (for now at least).
The returners are NYC ska stalwarts The Slackers, Seattle streetpunks The Drowns, who were newcomers to the label last time round, but are about to release their long-awaited third album, and Pirates stalwarts Noi!se, whose contribution is exclusive to this release.
There are also previously-released gems from the likes of Teenage Bottlerocket, Suzi Moon (whose excellent debut album is reviewed here), DeeCracks (whose 20th anniversary compilation is reviewed here) and Stomper 98 (whose new self-titled album is reviewed here).
There’s a clutch of more recent signings, like Sweat, Starving Wolves and Brigata Vendetta (featuring former members of Harrington Saints).
Flores Y Fuego fly the flag for Mexican hardcore with So Tu Voz, from their debut album (reviewed here), while at the opposite end of the musical spectrum are northern soul crew The Inciters, who invite us to Bring Back The Weekend from the album of the same name (reviewed here).
Scottish troubadour Billy Liar, who recently released his first album for PPR (reviewed here), contributes one of its standout tracks, Hogmanay, while Hunting Lions cough up The City from the ‘Dark‘ side of their debut EP (reviewed here).
My favourite tracks are Hunting Lions‘ The City, The Drowns‘ Just the Way She Goes, which offers another mouth-watering taste of their forthcoming third album, due out in February, and Hello Outsider by Canadian band Territories, from their excellent new album Colder Now.
You can get For Family And Flag Vol 2 direct from Pirates Press webstore HERE on blood red or black vinyl. 9/10.
