When you think of great music from Chicago, Illinois you might not always think of Punk. This collection from The Effigies, Chicago’s finest Punk band, aims to correct that. This is the only Effigies release on CD (so far) and really only collects
their first steps as a band. Yet they are vital steps that should be heard by any that think American Punk could never match the wild variety of British Punk.

I say that because the Effigies were a brutally dazzling band.
Don’t buy this expecting some dime-a-dozen/by-the-numbers Hardcore Punk band here. No I say “dazzling” because their tuneful crunch came in a great assortment of flavors. You’ve got some
Sub-Dub Reggae-Thrash here (“Security”), some Punk beginning
with synths and pounding “Paint It Black” tom tom drums there (“Body Bag”) and even some Punk ending with a slashing Folk Guitar riff too (“Techno’s Gone.”) Sure, they borrow a bit from The Ruts and The Stranglers but their material here would make them equals of those bands not copycat followers.

The lyrics are even better. Lead singer John Kezdy was obviously
disturbed about the local Chicago society around him and knew
enough to write it down and sing it. You get a good variety of topics covered instead of the usual
“been-there-done-that”
railing against the Government lyrics only. The liner notes are also equally insightful. And believe it or not The Effigies are also on the ‘Net so please go sign their guestbook at http://www.effigies.com

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