Paint It Black

Paint It Black
Cva
Jade Tree

How fucking punk—17 songs in 19 minutes. Too bad the micro-minute song has already been done by a lot of other bands, mostly because they simply didn't know how to write. But surprisingly, Paint It Black is actually a thankfully solid kick in the ass: the sound is full, well-produced, and clean on furious songs about such hardcore perennials as backstabbers within "the scene," racism, education and (a new one!) male body-image issues. Now that's a selling point—this shit's not drooling, ethereal crap by yet another emaciated 20-year-old who had one girlfriend for three months. It's got bite. Vocalist Dan Yemin yowls like he's really bothered about something on tracks frenzied enough to fit between Los Crudos and Minor Threat, especially with backing vocalist Dave Hause barking out "Dead! Inside!" and "Sin by omission! That's how we're fooled!" (And yes, they do love their Dischord discography: one song is called "Less Deicide, More Minor Threat." Nice!) Paint It Black is one of those rare bands that manage to mix music and politics in a way that's not preachy or annoying, and CVA could reach both halves of the punk rock audience: the kids who will actually read the lyric sheet and the kids who don't give a fuck about anything besides 17 songs in 19 minutes.