Finish music publisher SOUNDI was kind enough to review Jobcentre Rejects.
Here is a rough translation:
The Back Yard Kings of Heavy
The history sounds different when told by losers instead of those who won. I got my most intense rock'n'roll kicks of this year so far from an album that hands the mic over to the ones that never went anywhere. This compilation is put together with sense of style, finesse and thorough understanding of rock music typical for Swedes. Jobcentre Rejects deals with an aspect rock that has always been quite a mystery to me personally i.e. the rise of new wave of British heavy metal in the turn of 1970’s and 80’s. We all know Iron Maiden, Saxon and Def Leppard. I’ve ran into enthusiasts digging deep into the world of the lower division talents of this type music, even among my own friends. I never understood what is there to be found in this dark jungle unless you’re a totally hopeless metalhead. My own attitude is the very reason this whole undertaking hit me so hard. On the surface it appears to be the worst possible kind of record collector insanity and nonsense. It reminds me of my own first encounters with compilations of obscure 1960’s garage or twisted psychedelia or messy backwoods rockabilly or ultra raw soul totally unfit for mass consumption.
I look at the sleeve. I don’t know any of these names. The needle hits the groove and my jaw hits the floor. I’m losing my mind!! These are the kinds of high voltage electric shocks hard core collector culture can deliver at its best. These shots were fired far outside the official, canonized narrative of rock history and they sure hit the target, right in the middle. Never heard turns out to be must hear! In the modern sense of the word this dirty dozen doesn’t sound very metal at all. These bands originally immortalized their vision of rock on 45s released in extremely tiny quantities. Their sound was basically a slightly twisted and offbeat version of the heavy rock of the day. One band might sound like Status Quo fuelled with a serious dose of amphetamines while the next outfit appears to be totally out of control younger siblings of Thin Lizzy pummelling away. One bunch of heavy rockers has deep faith in Motörhead and thus want to sing praises to liqueur produced in England. It comes out just as stupid as one dreams it would. This the real d.i.y-culture. These rock dreams were put to tape in small studios and after that they were wrapped in art work that looks like it was created in the back of a classroom reserved for those pupils who need extra attention and discipline. However this bunch is no laughing matter. AS this great onslaught of rarities travels through the back alleys of British rock culture it challenges the story of punk already told a few many a times. While doing this it raises your adrenaline level to the max and puts crazy ideas in your head. ”Why don’t I get Predatür-tattoo right away…”
