The Secretions

The first time I listened to this CD, I cranked it up in the car stereo and headed to Orland. By the time I got to Hamilton City I’d pretty much forgotten it was on. Well-played and recorded, generic, professional—and forgettable—punk rock pretty much sums up my initial reaction. But punk rock recordings generally cast a pale shadow of any given band’s live performance. And when I imagined these songs set off live on stage, I pictured a very different reaction. One that involved much hoisting of pint glasses, bouncing up and down and yelling along to choruses. Song titles such as “Sick of Feeling Like Shit,” “My Sister is a Tweeker” and “Boner”—with lyrics to match, such as “You make me feel alive when my erectile tissue thrives”—pretty much sum up the band’s attitude. Despite its generic first impression, repeated listenings of the recording reveal some very high-spirited playin’ and hollerin’. I’m betting these guys kick butt on stage. In a fun way.