Review: Buzzcocks – The Way

When critics mention all of the people who listened to The Velvet Underground and started bands because of it, the Buzzcocks is one of the least likely you’d think of. But they played a key role in shaping the British punk scene in the late ’70s, turning from the anger of the Sex Pistols—with whom they gigged—to biting, sarcastic wit. The sarcastic edge is still there, but there’s nothing here that’s musically as edgy as “Orgasm Addict.” In fact, “Keep On Believing” is downright positive thinking! I thought old punk bands were supposed to fade away or something. This is the Buzzcocks, all right, but it’s no advancement on their sound—why not just listen to their early greats? The Banksy-inspired cover art is nice. The UK release was on the PledgeMusic record label and is a direct-to-fan funding platform, where 5-percent of proceeds after the band’s goal is reached to fund the recording are being donated to the Teenage Cancer Trust. This just might be the future of the music industry.
–Stakerized!