The Partisans
So Neat (TKO)

originally published in Space City Rock, Fall 2003

Funny how a single from a somewhat neglected second-tier first-and-a-half wave UK punk band can sound so good right about now. I can’t say exactly what the Partisans have that sets them apart; it sure ain’t originality, since the anti-consumerist screed “So Neat” (in which they declare “I wanna have it all/I wanna make the world just like me”) nicks the riff from “Anarchy in the U.K.,” while “Classified Info” seems to cover much of the same ground as the first Clash album, from the reggae-infused rhythm guitar to the lyrics that act like the kid brother of “Career Opportunities,” tagging along and pretending that the excitement of disapprobation isn’t being experienced second-hand. I’ll guess that what pulls them through is the spirit, which was more than sufficient to make folks fans of punk itself (rather than just a few specific bands) back then, and it’s more than sufficient now. The Partisans get it wrong on at least one count, though: the bonus track “Hysteria” (which inverts “Now I Wanna Be Your Dog” and could probably teach the Hives a thing or two) is only available on CD, not vinyl. That’s not very punk, now, is it?

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