Philadelphia has had a long and varied history of producing great punk/hardcore bands. After all, it is this birthplace of Ink and Dagger, Shark Attack, Kid Dynamite, Horror Show and countless others. In that same Philly tradition of quality come Blacklisted, a fairly new band to the Philadelphia hardcore scene.
On their debut EP for Stillborn Records, Blacklisted take a modern approach on a classic New York Hardcore sound. Sure, No Warning did this a few years back with great results. Inadvertently, they spawned a sea of sub-par imitators attempting to sound more like No Warning than bands like Breakdown or Raw Deal. Thankfully for us all, Blacklisted manage to sound hard and pissed with frequent nods to NYHC without sounding like a No Warning clone or a poor attempt at being Krakdown number two.
I think one of the factors that set Blacklisted apart are George's lyrics. The lines read like the pages of a journal and are seething with wit, sarcasm, irony, and self-deprecation. The words often act as a final statement of giving up on a generation that has already given up. For instance, in the song "That Ain't Real Much," he screams, "Don't care about my generation, don't care if I stand or fall, don't care about my reputation, I'm chasing aspiration I never saw...well fuck you. So sick of culture sickness and all that I have witnessed..."
George's writing has improved since his days of penning lyrics for the short-lived Philly band No Rights. Critics may dismiss his words (and sometimes even his vocal style) as an attempt to emulate Wes Eisold of American Nightmare/Give up the Ghost, but the varying subject matter and delivery prove otherwise. The interesting lyrics make for an even better listen when set against the backdrop of well written, heavy hardcore.
If you're looking for something with a spark of creativity in a scene where monotony reigns, maybe checking out Blacklisted is in your best interest. If you don't want to take my word for it, just listen to Blacklisted's own advice and "let the music speak for itself."
