Another day another Subs reissue. Get over it I say the more the merrier. Looking for a crisp copy on vinyl with a raft of bonus songs pertaining to the release is most welcome. The fifth Subs studio album, from 1983, not available on vinyl for years, gets an October rebirth just in time for some live-action where we might get to hear some long-lost tunes.  The remastered LP has a new inner bag featuring the lyrics and unseen band photos in limited, transparent yellow ochre vinyl with improved original sleeve art so whats not to like?

The 2xCDversion has seven extra tracks from singles; and a bonus CD ‘Gross-Out USA’ – plus three never-before released demo tracks, one an unheard song.  Packaged in an all-card 6-panel sleeve.   Albums ‘F’ and ‘G’ in the UK Subs A-Z series of albums, on Fall Out Records. Now that’s not to be sniffed at either.

The album came at a time when punk was changing from the original burst of bands who (most of ) were no longer a going concern to the bands who were born from that original youth movement. Remember it took time for the word to spread there were no mobile phones – no social media and the second wave saw the UK Subs right up there. Punk was no longer fashionable, this record saw Charlie having to start from scratch and form what was effectively a new band. Call in Subs bassist Steve Slack (who’d left before their first recordings, replaced by his brother), drummer Steve Jones and guitarist Captain Scarlet.

Embracing wider styles and God forbid acoustic guitars and strings many songs were co-written by Slack and Scarlet with Charlie’s lyrics reflected the current times and politics.  ‘Soldiers Of Fortune’ with its intro made way for a more familiar sound. ‘Working For The DBs’ is punk by numbers and only highlights the “of its time” production that let down some of the songs off this time period. at times it’s paper thin and would possibly have benefitted from a complete overhaul and a (dare I say It) modern production offering some bottom end, especially on the tribal drumming and bass on ‘Tampa Bay’.

I’ve enjoyed replaying an album that probably doesn’t get the love it deserves and considering what it followed it’s probably benefitted from the distance of its release. ‘In The Red’ is still quality and the medieval intro of ‘Dress Code’ still baffles me to this day. The band were clearly not put off small straying away from the punk rock many would have expected and some of the drum stabs explosions like on ‘Jelly Devils’ are of the time for sure. I’m also hearing some Ant music in the arrangments and that’s no shock ‘In The Wild’ could be a punier Adam Ant song. All in all its a great addition to any Subs LP collection and one that should appeal not just to completists but people curious to investigate the second wave or third wave of Subs music. Buy it! Its worth it for the cover art alone, superb.

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Author: Dom Daley