The Duel – Childish Behavior album review
I don’t want to be in your 21st century
A Parallel universe is where
I want to beI’m living on another planet
Well so what? They can’t ban it.
(“21st century”)
The current century already musically surprised people many times, but many punk ’77 / new wave lovers don’t believe that any current music can surprise them, thinking that their music is dead. But the band “The Duel” completely refutes it, carrying THAT initial punk spirit in the 21st century. Actually, while listening to the band’s music the question if it’s primary or secondary music doesn’t appear at all, because this music makes sense of sincerity and reflection of the musicians’ feelings. So, the second band’s album, called “Childish Behavior”, consists of the album CD itself and the bonus CD. The album itself can exactly be called a treasure for any DJ; it consists of incredibly catchy hits of all the musical range, from danceable new wave “Hey Doll” to “punk” ballads like “Dead Rock Stars”. Music is played in a very interesting way, and Tara’s vocals really make sense which she wanted to cause singing. Though, the DIY quality also takes its place and slightly harms the pleasure of listening to the album. But on the other hand it also lets hope that there will be some “remastered” albums of the ‘00s available some day in the ‘30s or so. Well if it’s so, “Childish Behavior” is in the first lines of the queue. Another sad thing to be mentioned is the bonus CD. You can call me an idiot, but I got totally bored with it. Acoustic versions in spite of having interesting ideas and viewpoints to the songs, sound as if they’re spontaneous improvising at a rehearsal. And other songs just don’t cause that sense that the album ones do. But in common, The Duel doesn’t sound like many bands whose music can be called mockery of punk music’s corpse, this band really made me believe that punk is alive.
So, rid out all the “Ramones style”, “Pistols’ish” or some other cloning bands, because “The Duel” belongs to the punk wave, but doesn’t copy any band. And in spite of all the above mentioned defects, “Childish Behavior” is quite close to become one of the punk/new wave must haves of the decade.
Grade: 8/10
Pall ‘Nattsol’ Zarutskiy
‘Grave Jibes Fanzine’
