Reviews
“Paper Thrones” LP:
It says something about Surrender that its debut is a vinyl-only release. The band not only shuns the CD format in favor of analog, but its updating of the peace-punk genre for the 21st century makes for a doubly anachronistic project. Not that the attempt isn’t welcome. In fact, it’s better than one could reasonably expect. Noisy spoken-word parts buffer militaristic drum beats, bouncy bass, and forceful male and female vocals descended from the aesthetics of Crass Records.
What normally comes off as a strident is surprisingly philosophical. “Still Waiting” asks, “Who would you be when you’re not you?” “This Is Not a Song” also addresses the didactic elements inherent in the group’s chosen genre, insisting that “there are no easy steps, no five-point plan, no right way … there is no chorus to this song.” In this collapsing economy, being on the margins of first-world prosperity allows for a liberal dose of Schadenfreude. The nihilist side of punk revels in the debasement of Brahmin classes, but there’s also an impulse to try and fix the world in tatters. Most of Paper Thrones seems wrapped in this dialogue with itself, culminating in the closing song, “Last Days”: “We preach health like holy writ with our veins pumping full of shit / ‘Fuck capitalist pigs!’ then buy some more cigarettes and beer.” For a genre that’s mostly preaching to the converted, Surrender is up to something bigger than historical reenactment — and the band just might have the right cultural climate for it to take. (George Chen – in SF Bay Guardian)
…を中心に結成された男女デュアルVo.PUNK ROCKバンド”SURRENDER”!!自主リリースされた7″シングルに続く、待望のアルバムが’09年THRILLHOUSEよりリリース!!前作 のサウンドをそのまま受け継いだ、憂いを帯びたVo.メロディーラインに、ポリティカルな詞、シンプルながらトリッキーで独特の曲展開がCRASS〜 KILL ROCKやRIOT GIRLにも通じるサウンドが、今作もカッコイイ!!全１２曲収録!!新旧の女性Vo.ANARCHO PUNK〜THIS IS MY FIST、FIFTH HOUR HEROあたりが好
What, you don’t speak Japanese? Ok, here’s a “translation” via the internet:
She also known as the… dual gender was formed in Vo.PUNK ROCK band “SURRENDER”!! that was released voluntarily 7 “followed by a single, long-awaited album of the year’09 release from THRILLHOUSE! inherited exactly the sound of the original, a fear-tinged Vo. melody lines, and political lyrics, songs and unique development in a simple yet tricky CRASS ~ KILL ROCK RIOT GIRL and relate to the sound, the film looks cool now! All 12 songs! old woman Vo.ANARCHO PUNK ~ THIS IS MY FIST, FIFTH HOUR HERO IKERU be around people like that? —Record Shop Base, Koenji, Tokyo
Surrender/Acts of Sedition split EP:
This tasty looking little number is a local love-fest:members of both bands can usually be found pulling the strings at Gilman, flyering for shows at Thrillhouse, or getting in the way around MRR HQ. Musically they have little in common, but this record is about community. ACTS OF SEDITION keeps their crushing hardcore dark and depressing on their side, consistent with their previous output. To my ears, the anarcho punk debuted by SURRENDER on their first 7″ is laced with a hint of early-90’s DC/riot grrrl sound this time out –no bad thing. Otherwise is more of the same from the first EP: martial dynamic music and pounding drums lay the foundations for Ariel’s poetic peace-punk diatribes. I know the bands were excited about doing this and it shows. The packaging is excellent too. —Allan McNaughton, Maximum Rocknroll zine
Surrender EP:
When I was younger and hadn’t put together large pieces of the punk puzzle together, I listened to a lot of Crass—I only had about ten records, listening to them constantly—and learned a lot. Say what you will about the band, there were times in almost every record that it got downright pretty. Eve Libertine had a haunting, cavernous—even sweet—lilt to her voice that seemed like a freshly released dove above the bulldozed, skree-filled, vulture-pecked carnage that Crass is usually remembered for. Plus, Crass were smart. Enter Surrender. They take that five to ten percent of Crass that was unnervingly beautiful and make a record with those types of elements, tension, and iconography as the taking-off point. Instead of slogans that tend to wear down like tire treads over time, Surrender relies on open-ended questions and statements: “What if,” “What now?” “Pay no more” and “Surrender Is.” Surrender’s smart, too, and questions basic human assumptions while providing a soundtrack to some rump shaking. This is some great stuff. —Todd Taylor, Razorcake zine
Berkeley’s SURRENDER are one of the very few bands who still plays old peace-punk style without sound generic, crust or getting into fast punk territory. Their mid paced punk sound a lot like “Revolution” era CHUMBAWAMBA or the lost NO DEFENSES album, including with a great vocal work and interesting tempos and structures. Awesome record that will became a classic amongs peace-punk fanatics like myself.
—Paco (lavidaesunmus.com)
This is so dead-on in every way. The art, music, and lyrics are such a breath of fresh air. And that feels like a really weird thing to say because there’s a lot of great music being made right now. If Crass blew your mind when you were fifteen and you’re looking to re-up on some arty/political punk that doesn’t contain cheap political anthems, it’s all about this record. –Daryl, Razorcake zine
