Toys That Kill – Shanked! / 2006 Recess / 17 Tracks / http://www.toysthatkill.com / http://www.recessrecords.com / Reviewed 16 July 2006

There is no way that Toys That Kill could start out their latest release “Shanked!” any better than they do with “Bomb Sniffin’ Dogs”. The catchy, hooky chorus is just one of the reason why Toys That Kill are one of the preeminent punk bands of the early 21st century. From there it is only just one track until the band has the next hit on their hands (“Run Away…)”. “Run Away…” is a track that is nearly the longest on the disc (only “They Tied Up All Our Lace” holds on for longer), but at no point does the band sound like they have painted themselves into a corner. When the band kicks into “Safe & Warm”, they move from something resembling a nineties poppy-punk sound (i.e. Face to Face instead of Blink 182) to something that is much more in the vein of the Newton Neurotics or Sham 69. At some point, all the tracks on “Shanked!” maintain the same high quality that individuals have expected from Toys That Kill since “Flys”; this is a punk album of the caliber of “Dookie” or any of those first-line discs.

“They Caught Us All” is a track that blends the two punk styles previously mentioned into something that is a little bizarre to hear but is really something bold and fresh in a punk genre that is always in danger of being a parody of itself. “They Tied Up All Our Lace” is a Toys That Kill track that sounds almost as if it should have been on The Business’ soccer anthem disc, “Hardcore Hooligans”. While each of the tracks work on a base level, it is during tracks like “Liar’s Hook” that Toys That Kill shines. The choruses are catchy, but there is a level of development to this track that belies the simple sound of the track. This means that the bass line that chugs through the disc give individuals much more of an idea of the emotional context of the track than anything previously on the disc.

There is nothing that Toys That Kill needs to change for this or future discs; the production levels are just right, while the overall sound of the disc is full-bodied without being soulless. Toys That Kill have been around since 2000, and it would not be surprising to hear them still cutting discs in 2012. Find this disc and grab a copy!

Top Tracks: Liar’s Hook, Run Away…

Rating: 6.8/10

[JMcQ]