They're one of NY's most revered street punk bands and one of the world's best-kept secrets… or so it seems.

And so why not proudly represent your own while the rest of nation catches up?

For anyone who doesn't know L.E.S., they aren't an offspring of The Ramones-good as they were, not every one that follows has to do what they do.

Factually, and I know I'm probably "speaking" a little too formally here, I mean, this is Punk music right, The 'Stitches are more driven by the social sphere in which they've grown, and less aimed at the punchline… not that there's nothing to laugh at now and again!

"Desensitize" puts it right into focus as the disc opener and how's this for getting your point across without one single F-word?

Not that I totally agree with it you understand, but impressive and quite on the money I think.

For about three and a half minutes spanning the first two cuts, I'm getting hit with both barrels here-unusually bottom heavy without furthering the point with excessive harmonics… though "Not That Kid" has an interesting break toward the end. So aside from angling their rant, not wholly at political forces, they've stuck close to home again and built on the ideal of "New York City's Dead" from their "Staja 98" release that first put 'em on the map and who'd know better than they?

And Mayor Giuliani, take a bow, you've given the boys even more motivation to angle their pitches… "Grudge," "Badge to Kill," "What's the Story…" well maybe he ain't their sole means for inspiration but how much credit do you wanna give the guy anyway!

The fact is, The once beloved Lower East Side is in terrible trouble… being on the receiving end of a morality-based face lift and political overindulgence, it's lost that endearingly guttural quality that so many have proudly called "home."

Well… I guess you have to have been there. L.E.S. is pretty zoned in on this third full-length and they sound like they never left their first!

That's basically saying, there's consistency derived from collectiveness, where you got four guys who give a shit but they sound as if they don't…

And after a beer or two you won't know the difference anyway so what the…

The high-spiritedness I expected earlier on is more readily available from the middle and end here-becoming lighter in a more conscionable manner… something we've all grown to identify with which supports their system nicely and gives them that unconquerable attribute without which, fragmentation and decay become only mere footsteps away from self-destruction blues…

Cool album cover by the way!

Released by NG Records

Review by Vinnie Apicella [va85@columbia.edu]