JiggyJay's Full Review: All Systems Go by Rocket from the Crypt
Originally called Rocket From The Tombs, this six person band burst onto the scene in 1992 with Circa: Now!, but exploded even further with their finest album to date Scream, Dracula, Scream in 1995. Having been making records for a long time now, it was inevitable that they would release an album that had some of their early tracks on it and songs from LPs that aren’t made anymore. Rocket From The Crypt released All Systems Go and All Systems Go II a few years back and I’m reviewing the first one. This one contains songs from some of their rare 7”s. You have the Yum Kippered 7”, the Picture Disc, the Sub-Pop Singles Club, their split with Deadbolt, the Both Good Songs 7”, and the Pure Genius. All of these rare vinyls have conveniently been put onto this disc for your listening needs.
There are nineteen tracks on All Systems Go and a majority of all of them is good. Some songs have bad sound quality but suck anyway. Some of these songs should have stayed rare. There are some instrumental tracks, some songs that really make no sense and are just guitar garble, but aside from these few bad tracks you have a lot of good ones like Live The Funk, Boy Chucker, and Pressure’s On. All Systems Go isn’t an album that I listen to directly, but it makes for perfect background music when I’m playing a video game or doing homework. A lot of the songs are catchy and perfect for any mood. Which brings me to my next point: why were some of these tracks duped? In the liner notes, Speedo (AKA John Reis the vocalist and guitarist of RFTC) says that these songs blow and just weren’t worthy to go on some of their other records. Well, I don’t concur, Speedo. Some of the tracks on All Systems Go are incredible and feel well tuned. Fifteen of the nineteen tracks are rad and that’s a good number. At least these rare 7” were re-released and that’s a good thing.
When asked if Speedo wears a Speedo to the beach, he tells them to fu*k themselves. With that said, Speedo (John Reis) heads Rocket From The Crypt and he’s probably one of the best musicians out there. His voice is reminiscent of Elvis Costello, but he’s much better. His voice is raw and very angry, yet hyper in a majority of the songs that he sings in. His lead guitar work is also fantastic as he has some great solos. Not in All Systems Go, but in their other albums. In All Systems Go there aren’t many notable solos, but with what he does do on guitar, it’s all good. The drum work is split between some stuff by the band’s former drummer, Atom, and their most recent one, Ruby Mars, but a majority of the drumming is by Atom. His drumming is by far one of the finest points of the band and is very edged and touched up in a lot of the tracks in All Systems Go. In this album, there is less of a Ska-shadow than in their other records. Being a fan of their horny guys, Apollo 9 and JC2000, I was a little disappointed, but my disappointment waned when I heard the band’s actual sound they sport on All Systems Go. Rocket From The Crypt has always had a sort of punk flavor, but a lot of the songs off of All Systems Go is totally punk rock. Fast guitar stuff by Speedo and N.D. as well as great solos by bassist Petey X. This is a whole new Rocket From The Crypt that I’m listening to!
Rocket From The Crypt’s humor really shows in All Systems Go with songs like Flip The Bird, The Paste That You Love, and Press Darlings. The album starts great with Live The Funk, a catchy track this side of Straight American Slave. This song is strong, nice, and once it spawns its eggs in your head, the song won’t leave. After that Jumper K. Balls ferociously starts up with great drum taps and guitar slams. The chorus is one of the catchiest on the album and gives sort of a Jane’s Addiction feeling. The song is fast paced and full of emotion. Is it any wonder why I love this song. Pigeon Eater starts later into the album and enjoy listening to this song a lot when I’m playing a racing game. Something that sucks about it is that the music totally drowns out Speedo’s vocals. This is a big drag because you can’t hear what he’s singing, but the drums and bass really give off good impressions. If you like songs you can blast up, skip to Pigeon Eater. A song that’s definitely my favorite of the entire All Systems Go CD is Killy Kill Again. This song has the finest drums on the entire album and it gives off a Nirvana theme that I really like. The guitars are working over time producing industriously nice riffs and the bass is really working to make the guitars sound good. You know what the song could have used? Major horns. Towards the end of the song is a wicked guitar solo that’s part of the slow instrumental. Err, and then it starts up fast again. I love this song! The song is cool and goofy in a way, but totally hard rocking in the long run. I like it…a…lot…
All Systems Go was a pleasant surprise by the band and I’m very lucky that I was able to obtain a copy of it (and the second disc). If are the kind of person who is so crazy about a band that you want to hear everything that they have done in the past, then All Systems Go is for you…err…if you’ve heard any of RFTC’s albums and are a big fan of theirs. Ever since I bought Group Sounds last summer I have been a big fan of this group and with each album I buy from them I am impressed. With All Systems Go I was very intrigued to see the roots of this band and it was a great feeling to know that I didn’t have to track down rare vinyls in order to hear everything by Rocket From The Crypt. Although there aren’t many horn parts with saxes and trumpets, the overall result is great with a punk sounding effort by RFTC. All Systems are Going for you to buy this record.
1. Live The Funk
2. Bad Song Ninja
3. Goodbye
4. Boy Chucker
5. Jumper K. Balls
6. Lefty
7. Normal Carpet Ride
8. Where Are The F*ckers?
9. Slumber Queen
10. Flip The Bird
11. Cha, Cha, Cha
12. Pressure’s On
13. Pigeon Eater
14. The Paste That You Love
15. Pure Genius
16. Lift And Love
17. Press Darlings
18. Killy Kill Again
19. Chantilly
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