Il capolavoro degli anni ‘80 dei Social Distortion: questo è uno di quei dischi che per far davvero colpo bisogna spararselo in macchina a volume osceno, solo lì le scosse sismiche acquistano spessore “weltchansaung”.
I brani che compongono il disco rappresentano il punk in molte delle sue forme, dall'hardcore melodico al surf, passando per il più prolifico commercialmente pop-punk; prevale infatti generalmente un punk rock veloce e ritmato ma abbastanza melodico e, tutto sommato, "facile". Insomma, si tratta sempre più spesso di musica suonata con le palle grezze di un ornitorinco-glione, che sprizzan rabbia delle originarie motivazioni punk.

Numerosi i nomi noti: innanzitutto i cavalli di battaglia urlati a squarciagola dal cantante Mike Ness: l'album comincia in maniera granitica con The Creeps, fra rintocchi blues-rock di chitarra e shouting in stile grunge, The Creeps si avventa contro la società capitalista secondo una classica strategia agit-prop, il gruppo non manca mai di iniettare dosi letali di sarcasmo contro la civiltà occidentale. Another State Of Mind è forse la più commerciale, quella col tiro più power pop. It Wasn't A Pretty Picture è una delle vette, armonicamente perfetta, tutti i riff sono al posto giusto, la classica song da mettere nelle scuole di rock per far capire ai bambini piccoli che ascoltano Punkreas e altre minchiate cosa è il punk-rock. Questo pezzo è ‘na botta de vita , con quel modo di cantare "arrancando" e trascinandosi dietro a fatica la musica, e quello stile di auto-flagellazione morale che trasuda l'esecuzione, grunge ante-litteram?
Con Thelling Them si fa ancora centro, trattasi di un convulso vocal-driven power-rock (anche se poi è sempre lo stesso strimpellio boogie, con qualche riffaccio vecchia maniera, sullo stesso tempo in 4/4), probabile che dietro l'improvvisa esuberanza del quartetto si celino stili vecchi quanto il rock, forse l'unico colpo a vuoto proviene dalla ripetitiva Hour Of Darkness, ma si riprende a salire subito dopo con la title track, vivacizzata da una frenesia beat. Tutto profuma di garage-rock, di party da spiaggia dei tartari, di entusiasmo da collegiali, ma il tutto sotto l'alone della sconfitta esistenziale, altrimenti non sarebbe vero roaack (come direbbe Bobby fottuto Solo, l'unico uomo che nel 2004 dice roaack anzichè rock). Anti Fashion e All The Answer sono di nuovo egregie perdizioni con la batteria che picchia a perdifiato e la chitarra che stride all'impazzata, rincorse rock and roll imbevute di retorica torrenziale e di squilibri sanguinari, mai fini a se stesse, ma sempre al servizio della causa.

Chiude in modo superbo Moral Threat , qua finalmente drammatica, con glissando galattici alla Jimi Hendrix, con uno dei giri più strausati della storia del rock (secondo solo al giro di Wild Thing ripreso a più non posso da band quali MC5 e NY Dolls), ma è lo stesso pandemonio, sia sulla prima parte, sia sul cambio di tempo che conduce al trasalimento strumentale sempre più iper cinetico con finale da bombardieri B-52 dove viene dinamitato scientificamente l'hardrock.

Elenco tracce testi e video

01   The Creeps (02:02)

I'll be vigilant
I'll be silent
Yes know one will know
You want something for nothing
A toast on your grave

I just wanna give you the creeps

Run and hide when I'm on the streets
Your fears and your tears
I'll taunt you in your sleep

I just wanna give you the creeps

02   Another State of Mind (02:37)

Well I'm in another state, another state of mind,
I wish that I could be there right next to her
This road leads to this, this one leads to that,
Her voice sends shivers down my spine.

These scars in my flesh,
I'm bruised and I'm bloodied
Only she know the pain that I've been through.
Talk to her a thousand miles away,
There's tears in her eyes.
If I make it back I'm gonna show her,
she's the one for me

Hitch a ride on the wild side,
It's real hell on wheels.
There's gonna be a fight tonight, I know.
Another city we can't find,
Another city left buried behind.
As I picture her, the cities burn away.

These scars in my flesh,
I'm bruised and I'm bloodied
Only she know the pain that I've been through.
Talk to her a thousand miles away,
There's tears in her eyes.
If I make it back I'm gonna show her,
she's the one for me

03   It Wasn't a Pretty Picture (03:09)

Last night a whore found murdered in the streets
The skid row bums are just waking up
A politician, caught holding drugs
A friend who's left us in a suicidal way

No one said life would be easy

Doesn't mean that much to me-
A crash a bash-up on Highway 109
His wife has left him for another man
A kid, a child experiments with drugs
A friend who's left us in a suicidal way

No one said life would be easy

The executioner has sung his last song

No one said life would be easy

04   Telling Them (03:11)

Well I love the sound when I smash the glass,
If I get caught they're gonna kick my ass.
My mommy's worried about the way I drink,
My daddy can't deal with the way I think.
They wake me up, tell me, "to get to work,"
I slam the door, say, "shut up you jerk."
I can't wait til the show tonite,
When I'm with my friends every things alright...
Chorus:
They're telling me, but I'm telling them.
"I'll do it my way, I'll always win."
"When the sun goes down I'm ready to play,
It doesn't matter what anybody says!!!"
Well I love the sound when I smash the glass,
If I get caught they're gonna kick my ass.
My girls stands very close to me,
That's just where I want her to be.
they say it costs $6 to get in this shack,
I'll go around sneak in the back.
I hope the police don't show up here,
Then we'll have to hide out of fear...
Repeat Chorus

05   Hour of Darkness (02:48)

An hour of anger an hour of love
This hour of confusion as I look above
Death life as I've never seen before
One more trip like that I'm in the mental ward

These sights sounds are all around me
They grasp and they don't let go
The sirens, the cries, the laughter the sighs
I hear thee hour- My Hour of Darkness
An hour of darkness, an hour that's passed
This life I feel just won't be surpassed
Death life as I've never seen before
One more trip like that I'm in the morgue

06   Mommy's Little Monster (03:32)

Mommy's little monster dropped out of school
Mommy's little monster broke all the rules
He loves to go out drinking with the boys
He loves to go out and make some noise
He doesn't wanna be a doctor or a lawyer get fat rich
He's 20 years old he quit his job

Unemployment pays his rent
His brothers sisters have tasted sweet success
His parents condemn him, say his life's a mess
He's mommy's little monster, he's not afraid to admit it
He's mommy's little monster, don't wake him in a fit
Mommy's little monster shoots methadrine
Mommy's little monster had sex at 15

She left home for the streets,
She couldn't deal with all that heat.
She had fun with the boys in the band,
In her eyes it will never end.
Her dad asked what happened to her face,
It could have happened in any place!!!

Her eyes are a deeper blue,
She likes her hair that color too.
She can even wear a dress,
That doesn't mean she'll ever confess.
She's mommy's little monster
She's mommy's little monster
She's mommy's little monster
Don't take her life away

07   Anti-Fashion (02:18)

You are so plastic you could be a Barbie Doll.
You walk you talk just like them all.
And, Oh how I love those pretty little curls,
With shoes and skirts, who's the better girl?
Chorus:
Anti-Fashion take them off
Anti-Fashion
And where did you get those $100 pants?
You know I'd love to rip them up, to shreds
A shiny red sports care takes you to the mall,
You shop with the elite and compare them all
Repeat Chorus:

08   All the Answers (02:22)

1,2,3,4,5,6,7
You won't see these kids in heaven
Colored hair and funny clothes
They are the menace of today
And they won't listen to what you say
But don't forget that they're your future

They're loud, they're obnoxious and proud
They are conscious
But don't forget that they're your future
They're loud, they're obnoxious they're proud
They are conscious
But don't forget that they're your future

These kids are accused for all the violence
You can't even keep them silent
You thought you had all the answers
You won't be able to make them pay
Cause they're not gonna fade away
Don't forget that they're your future

They're loud, they're obnoxious and proud
They are conscious
But don't forget that they're your future
They're loud, they're obnoxious they're proud
They are conscious
But don't forget that they're your future

Don't forget they're your future
And you thought you had all the answers

09   Moral Threat (05:15)

You beat us up when we're alone
Come back later and then you're gone
Now you're tucked away in your bed
And I've got stitches in my head

Cause you didn't like my looks
Cause I'm not in the fashion books
Admit it, you had some fun,
Just remember, I'm not the only one

You made a show for all your friends
But they're not gonna stick around to the end
Then you're gonna think, "Was it really worth it?"
Then your head is rolling in all that shit

Cause you didn't like my looks
Cause I'm not in the fashion books
Admit it, you had some fun,
Just remember, I'm not the only one

The justice system is slow it's true
So we'll have to take care of you
You're only safety is suicide
Face it buddy it's the end of the ride

Cause you didn't like my looks
Cause I'm not in the fashion books
Admit it, you had some fun,
Just remember, I'm not the only one

Moral Threat

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