Concrete Waves

Concrete Waves is a three-way split LP featuring JFA, Blue Collar Special and The Worthless with a vinyl-only bonus track by '80s Huntington Beach punk band Love Canal. It was released in 2002 on Disaster Records and produced by Duane Peters. With the exception of the Love Canal track which was recorded in '82, all tracks were recorded in the 2000s. To my knowledge this is the only record to feature an 8-wheeler on the cover. Unfortunately that is the best part of this record. The JFA tracks are mostly about skating and have some good lines (like complaining about kids waxing up the metal coping) but don't hold up against their early work with the possible exception of the instrumental track "Death Box." Blue Collar Special are far too poppy for me and sound like they could've been on Fat Wreck Chords if they had been around a little earlier. The Worthless have a better sound but their lyrics leave quite a lot to be desired. I can appreciate their attempt to raise awareness to the dangers of tampons in their song "Toxic Shock" but I think their delivery belies their true intentions. The Love Canal track is not bad though.