Editor Reviews:

Album Description:
Legendary hardcore-punk album from 1982, considered the definitive landmark for breaking the NYC hardcore scene. All material on this CD was recorded at 171-A Studios, NYC, during August, September, and October 1981, except "Pay to Cum," "I Luv I Jah," "Jah Clling Dub" recorded live at 171-A on May 16, 1981. Liner Notes by Ira Kaplan. With Lyrics.

Rating : - Bad Brains
Bad Brains *****


For fans of hardcore punk it doesn't get much better then Bad Brains self-titled debut album. It's loud, fast, in your face, unapologetic, angry and yet positive all at the same time. Bad Brains was really THE hardcore band, they were the ones that all other punk bands were looking up to at the time, the ones that classic bands like Minor Threat, Black Flag, TSOL, and Agnostic Front admired and aimed to achieve. The band was so revolutionary that the Beastie Boys even got their name from Bad Brains (BB), and started out as a hardcore band before they began to rap.

Featuring such hardcore classics as furious opener `Sailin' On' `Attitude' the phenomenal `Banned In D.C.' Leaving Babylon' my personal favorite `Big Take Over' and `Pay To Cum.' Those songs really set the standard for all hardcore to come. But Bad Brains also had their roots, and their roots were firmly planted in Ska and Reggae. `Jah Calling' `I' and `I Luv I Jah' are all praise to Jah because front man H.R. is a Rastafarian and was in the process of trying to convert the rest of the band to his beliefs, which with in a few short years they would. This is also the path the band would take in the 1990's leaving their hardcore past behind them for a while and only playing reggae.

I also feel it is important to mention the musicianship. Bad Brains is a punk band unlike any other punk band. They can play their instruments better then any other punk band in history or after for that matter. H.R. is not only an amazing lyricist but also a great front man. Dr. Know is the greatest guitarist in the history of punk, and really one of the greatest in all of rock n' roll for that matter.

For those who are interested in hardcore this is the way to be introduced. It is a fantastic album, one of the greatest punk albums of all time, and in my opinion one of the 150 greatest albums of all time.