Jon Cougar Concentration Camp
Melon
BYO
Jon Cougar Concentration Camp, or JCCC as they’re known in the world of acronyms, could not have progressed beyond the cult appeal of their exceptionally clever moniker, if not for the high quality punk rock they consistently produce. Melon, which brings the inside joke of their name full circle to the punchline, is their fourth full length. While this band goes through more drummers than Spinal Tap, Melon finds core members Chris Fields (vocals/guitar) and Dave Swain (bass/vocals) still very much in the game, with Fields also contributing all drum tracks – no drum machine for these guys! Stampeding through 13 songs in under 30 minutes, there’s still plenty of bang for the buck in this classic punk collection. “My Favorite Show is 90210” and the rage against the “Prom Queen” (and other high school stereotypes) are super-adrenalized speed punk with a razor-sharp wit. Brutally honest social criticism is dished out on “I Ain’t The One,” a commitment-shy guy’s attempt to talk his way out of a relationship, and “I Told You So” with the lyrics, “Sometimes I feel like I’m talking to a brick wall/ Because your head is filled with concrete.” Melon was produced by the infamous Blag Dahlia of the Dwarves, and his maniacal knob twiddling serves to bring JCCC’s take-no-prisoners punk to its full potential. As the title of the CD’s final track says, “You Either Got It or You Don’t.” JCCC have got it, and got it good. BYO Records, P.O. Box 67A64, Los Angeles, CA 90067; http://www.byorecords.com
