The political punk record, as a concept, is now decades old, and any band wanting to make a new one really needs to pull out all the stops, or adopt a fresh approach, to rise above the studded belts and low-slung guitars of their peers.
But what makes a truly noteworthy political punk album? You might be inclined to think back to London in 1977 and the release of The Clash¡¯s eponymous debut. And you¡¯d be very close, but, in my humble opinion, not quite there.
Take yourself 500 kilometers northwest and two years on, and you¡¯ll find yourself in Belfast in 1979, just as Stiff Little Fingers unleash their debut album, ¡°Inflammable Material.¡± Much like ¡°The Clash,¡± it¡¯s steeped in teenage boredom and dissatisfaction. But, unlike that album, Stiff Little Fingers¡¯ offering is steeped in something infinitely more sinister and violent ¡ª the ¡°troubles.¡±
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