A Fridge Too Far (1988)
Rough Justice Records
Rating: 4 out of 4 skulls
Reviewed By: Jeff Deth
This record is not easy to come by. Its one of three GBH albums that have gone out of print. GBH seemed to release each record with a different indie label, some of which like Rough Justice haven’t been active for a very long time. But thanks to ebay I could get my hands on this for about ten bucks on cassette. It was certainly worth it and GBH should do whatever they can to re-release albums like this one.
GBH is just hands down one of the few truly great punk bands that where able to record several albums over two decades. Whereas most of the original era of bands would break up after one or maybe two records. It’s the bands that stayed the course that for me wind up being my favorites.
Part of the second wave of UK punk, GBH and others like The Exploited gained the reputation of being much more “hardcore” with their sound and attitude. These are the bands that really introduced the 3-foot tall mohawks, leather jackets and combat boots to the scene.
A Fridge Too Far is GBH at about their mid-point career wise. They had already put out several solid punk albums and singles up to this point. This album reflects the band acquiring some of the tools of the metal genre that by 88’ had all but replaced punk-rock as the youth’s choice of angst. Let me be clear though that this is defiantly a punk record. It’s just that the band had begun to add elements that widened their sound to a degree that you have parts that seem quite metal. This is about the time when the old punk bands realized how much the thrash bands had borrowed from them and consequently they started to borrow back. I absolutely love the results. Instead of a string of two-minute, two-chord pounding, you get an album of songs that sound crafted and well thought out. There’s a musicianship to the playing that advances past their early work. This can be attributed to a couple things by my estimation. The first thing apparent is the thunderous drumming by a new addition, Kai. His double-bass work adds a much stronger and heavier sound. Jock, GBH’s long-time guitarist has obviously chosen to step-up his game as well, playing with an equaled heaviness. His riffs and chord progressions seem more inspired than usual. He also adds in some brief solos throughout the record, which you will never hear this reviewer complain about.
Overall there’s a greater amount of texture and variety. The songs are drawn out a bit more, which allows a deeper listening engagement. Everything is still full-throttle aggressive charging punk. The way vocalist Colin spews out his desperate pleas of psychosis and chaos gives GBH that forever unpolished rawness. There’s darkness to the lyrics and dirtiness to their sound that takes you right into the underbelly of society. Every screamed lyric has your body springing around your seat, your leg jacking violently against the floor. This music begs to be slam-danced to. Uncontrolled bodies without direction expressing a pure release of adrenalin.
GBH exists on the filthiest streets and alleys of the biggest most alienating cities in a world gone mad. This album fucking delivers everything I hoped for. In fact this band has never disappointed me, which is why I place them in a very special category of punk bands. Get this record any way you can.
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