The San Francisco quintet Get Dead stays true to itself for its debut album on Fat Wreck Chords. Bad News has 12 songs with minimal overdubs and energy, intensity, and even silliness from start to end. The same strengths that led people to check out Get Dead's early releases and live shows are on display here. “Welcome to Hell” nods toward reggae while maintaining an aggressive chorus. Traces of Irish folk can be heard alongside the usual D.I.Y. punk influences. Electric and acoustic guitars alternate and share the stage wherever necessary. The members pontificate on what their lives mean right from the onset on the four-and-a-half-minute epic “Kerouac’s Teeth,” where they’re already packing in the van headed to another show. “Leave a Message” finds Get Dead breaking hearts in another town; all the members know is to show up where their schedule tells them to be the next night.
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