Sorry George, the long arm catches up with us all at one time or another…

But I'll say this much, wherever this album was created-this drunk and disorderly display of early age street-core from the Irish upstarts wreaks of tradition… upheld dearly by these rabble-rousers known as Runnin' Riot, "Reclaiming the Streets" as well as the never surrender attitude of our late great punk forefathers-The Clash immediately comes to mind with more than a few nods and rants in the direction of The Exploited's one and only Wattie!

And is there some underlying message present here at the onset?

Moving not so gracefully from "Alcoholic Heroes," onto "Drunk & Disorderly," I'm about ready to raise my glass… or my fist if I have to wait much longer!

"Divide & Conquer" pounds heartily into those who still upkeep the faith-fight, fight, fight for what you believe in!

No, not words to the song actually but it just fits-"War against One?" "Keep the Faith," a-ha, now here we go in keeping in strict time with the "Fight or Die" stance of earlier…

I'll say one thing about these guys; they're true to their name!

Discovered by another of the working class barroom authorities known and loved worldwide as Murphy's Law, it's easy to see how the two hooked up-Runnin' Riot's less about melody and sing along choruses however and more about gang tackling and ramming it up!

Not exactly Johnny Thunders… but then after a few drinks, who notices?

"Reclaim the Streets" loses nothing by way of ferocity, even at its center where the jamming loosens up a bit only to be quickly tightened down in a stammering skinhead rage that makes all before it seem like a gentlemanly jig.

Toward the end they try their hand at a disheveled punk/reggae mix that not only sounds bad… well at least for one song, "Johnny Reggae" we can endure as "Rock 'N Roll Sellout" and "Punishment Beating" and it's "whoa-oh-oh's" stomp their boot print right through the poor bastard… and whaddya know, "Right Thru You," if you're not careful!

The first warning shot's been fired… the quiet Belfast streets are alive with gunfire, flames and smoke…

Looks like it's gonna be a hot time in the city tonight…

Released by TKO Records

Review by Vinnie Apicella [va85@columbia.edu]