Hellcat's
Give 'Em the Boot series returns in 2004 with its fourth volume, budget-priced and populated with representatives from the punk, ska, and psychobilly underground. Kicking off with a raucous, previously unreleased track from
Tim Armstrong's own
Rancid entitled "Killing Zone," the set moves into the Aggrolites' appropriately titled "Dirty Reggae," and "Atomic" from
Tiger Army's strong
Ghost Tigers Rise LP. At 26 tracks (over half of them unreleased),
Give 'Em the Boot is an absolutely ridiculous value for any curious listener. But rookies and scene veterans both will love the set's sheer breadth of the material. There's roots-style reggae from
Slackers,
Chris Murray, and
Westbound Train; the vicious psychobilly shake of Rezurex and
Nekromantix; an incredible live version of "Junco Partner" from
Joe Strummer & the Mescaleros; punk from the streets of Boston in
Ducky Boys and
Dropkick Murphys; and modern-day, gloriously crap-recorded Oi! from the young and hungry South Central Riot Squad. Best might be "That's What I Know," an unreleased track from Brain Failure, heroes of the burgeoning Beijing punk scene. Their rousing
Clash tribute is more powerful than any you'll hear all year. ~ Johnny Loftus