Go for the Grope!

Photo by James Bunoan THE DISTRACTION
"TRANSMISSION IGNITION" and "NOTHIN' TO ME"
PELADO RECORDS

The Distraction don't fuck around when they're reeling out songs; take them on a date, and they'd probably go right for the grope as soon as the burgers and fries arrived. These two short bursts of '77-style punk—with no bridges! No pre-choruses! And no fucking guitar solos!—might leave you wanting if you're the fond-of-foreplay type; their verse/chorus/quit-before-you-bore-us tactics almost finish this single off before it really gets started. The B-side, "Nothin' to Me," is where the action is: the first two seconds could've slipped off the back end of the Vibrators' "Pure Mania," but then singer Ed starts caterwauling away—the guy should voice cartoons, seriously—and you're suddenly just another opening band or two away from the Stitches. A little more songwriting confidence—relax, put in another part, turn up the second guitar—would do the Distraction well, though, maybe make them let the music stick around longer. It feels like these kids are the Rezillos—a little flashy, a little more bouncy—to rest of the HB crowd's Sex-Pistols-Go-Surfing shtick: it's pop in punk's clothing, like if you poked and pinched and wet-willied the Undertones until they got savage-dog raw and rabid. Sure, they're nice boys underneath, but they still might bite. Likewise, the Distraction—though they've got a bit of bite—are still pretty perky underneath the power chords.

CONTACT: chris@unitysquad records.com; The Distraction, P.O. Box 1235, Huntington Beach, CA 92647; Pelado Records, 521 W. Wilson, Ste. C-103, Costa Mesa, CA 92627.