‘There’s people sleeping in the street, But you won’t lend a hand, Them begging for a bite to eat, Plays right into your plan, Keep praying that society, Keeps preying on itself’ (Two Sides, Same Coin)

It may be just shy of a decade since Corrective Measure released their self-titled debut 7-inch, but they return as if it was just yesterday.  The Maine band fashion aggressively energetic, no nonsense mid-1980s’ US hardcore interwoven with a striking youth crew rhythmic sensibility.  The emphasis is very much on high-octane delivery, with little appetite for unnecessary extravagance or adornment.  But the band do deftly deploy flourishes of melody and well-judged groove-laden breakdowns, such as on the title track and Big Shoes To Fill, to powerful effect.

Both musically and lyrically, the album builds to a compelling impassioned finale with the closing track, Two Sides, Same Coin.  A consistent thread throughout is our own willingness to turn a blind eye to the causes of social inequality and our readiness to blame, rather than support, those who have fallen on tough times.  Unfortunately, a rather apt message as our own UK government unveils brutal welfare cuts aimed at the most vulnerable, without even a glimmer of self-awareness that it is their own hostile socio-economic policies that are the root cause of the growing inequity.