Just in time for 1977, this is often widely recognised as the first UK Punk rock album. It changed everything that music was supposed to be at the time, and rivalled Disco for a place on the charts. The Damned are seen as a great band from the early Punk rock music, and this album is also seen as a great album. Let’s check it out.

We kick off with Neat Neat Neat with its catchy intro riff, which goes instantly into a raw, loud and impressive sound for a Punk rock band. Music was about to change forever. There is little variation in musicality and dynamics, but it is intended to be so. A thrilling guitar solo grabs your attention throughout. A very excellent musical piece of genius. The singing here is reminiscent of that of The Modern Lovers. Great tune.

Up next is Fan Club which begins with some almost Surf Rock guitar parts. It refers to the fans of the band, very self-consciously. Another excellent tune that deserves acknowledgement and listening. It is also about sexual lust, in a very dirty way. A superb effort. This is a highly original and well thought out effort. A good and humourous tune. The outro is excellent.

I Fall talks more specifically about sex in very explicit terms. It is another well put together and short tune. Although the songs here are super short, they are well thought out and entertaining pieces of music. There are references to satanic ideals here, but nothing purely devilish. The guitar solo, once again, is amazing. A great song.

Born To Kill is a rather dark and sadistic tune. It talks about said title subject matter. Musically, it is fast, frenetic and awesome. This is superb music that demands repeat listens. It is an interesting listen, and definitely not for your kids, if you have any. Another good song. The guitar solos are amazing, very proto Metallica here.

Next is Stab Your Back with its interesting drum intro. It is less than a minute, and has a load of chanting in it of the track title. Not bad, despite the super short length of track time.

Following is Feel The Pain which has some super discordant guitar parts to begin with, before going straight into a track that sounds rather eerie for this sort of music. It is a good exercise in being overly dramatic, but an effective one. It sounds really creepy, but it is supposed to. A warped listening experience. A tempo change towards the end is very surprising. Good song, a memorable piece of music.

New Rose is a famous piece by The Damned which begins with the quote, “Is she really going out with him?” before launching into a great classic pop song about relationships with ladies. It is a good personal statement from the group. It is an awesome listen, particular in the fuzz driven midsection. A really good listen about the pitfalls of love. Excellent work.

Fish is a hard, fast jam like piece. It’s not Punk rock specifically, but is more like Hardcore Punk. An attention grabbing listen, and sounding amazing, even to this day. The loud and fast guitars and drums mesh very well with the singing here. A great and energetic piece.

After that is See Her Tonite which is covering relationship business here. It’s a good piece about love and affection, of course in a Punk rock way. A superb and terrific effort, the band sound like they are in a hurry, although deliberately so. Some more awesome drumming in the outro is here for your pleasure.

The catchy 1 of the 2 comes next, showing a band that could create melodies that are catchy, along with a great sense of rhythm. Another short song that sounds very good and consistently Punk. There are some awesome guitar breaks in this song, listen carefully for them. It sounds so powerful and uplifting, especially towards the end.

So Messed Up refers to a lady who doesn’t have fun. It is a good song here, and sounds loud and powerful. An excellent listen, it has a false ending and great melodies. This is excellent Punk Rock music, very enjoyable. Short and bittersweet.

I Feel Alright is the final track on this album, and is also the longest on the album. It is a great way to end the album, and sounds fast and furious, as per usual. It has a fast and surreal sounding guitar section that sounds wonderfully done. It’s a powerful and good way to finish this unusual set of songs. Awesome. It goes into a frenetic breakdown at the end of the track, showcasing the band’s ability to grab your attention easily. Good effort by The Damned.

This is a very good album that does well. It seems less dated than other Punk Rock efforts, such as The Sex Pistols Never Mind The Bollocks album. A good way to hear Punk Rock, despite other bands being more widely recognised in this style of music. An awesome treat for a listen. Fans of The Damned will be pleased that there are expanded editions of their music out there, so seek them out if you wish.

Full on.

8/10