Black Rainbow

One would never guess that the members of 400 Blows are fans of the Smiths when listening to their debut album, Black Rainbow. This California punk trio delivers a high-speed, aggro-accented set, and it's the farthest thing away from anything Morrissey and company ever did. Black Flag might come to mind first, but not the Smiths. Quick, pinch-hitting percussion from Ferdinand Cudia is fully as intense as Christian Wabschall's hypnotic guitar riffs, but it's the frenetic vocal screeching from frontman Skot Alexander that totally defines what 400 Blows stands for. There's more speed, more angst, and a raw hardcore rage on Black Rainbow and for a young band, it's an explosive effort. They're not aiming to do what's already been done since Nirvana first arrived in the early '90s, because they obviously lack the desire to do so. It's pretty clear that 400 Blows isn't following any kind of post-alternative rock formula on Black Rainbow. The only thing they're wanting to do is rock out -- and hard. With songs like "The Ugly Are So Beautiful," "The Root of Our Nature," and "Everyone Is Silent," 400 Blows feels the fever and wants the listener to respond without thinking. 400 Blows is sick -- sick with what's commercially appealing and ill to what's currently thought of as punk. Black Rainbow is the real thing, so be afraid. ~ MacKenzie Wilson