Flat-Pack Philosophy
Judged against the exceptional standards of the group's own catalog, this album is not so good. The Buzzcocks, after all, invented and perfected a very smartass, insanely catchy ideal of poppy, ultra-energetic punk rock and half your favorite bands have stolen from them liberally. But judged against other reunion records, it's definitely a fun album, and is easily their best post-breakup album. Steve Shelley's infamous high-pitched vocals sound more like a strange old geezer than a hyperactive kid, but that should not come as much of a surprise. Not surprisingly, the lyrics range from society to love. The songs are mostly mid-tempo, pleasant punk rock. You could do a lot worse, but they could do a lot better.--Mike McGonigal