Longway play meat-and-potatoes punk rock that will remind 99.8 percent of those who hear it of Social Distortion. Can I go now? [No. I need about 280 more words, bitch—OC Weekly music editor's slave-driving superego.]
Oh, jeez. This is going to be hard. All right, let's see . . . Longway write straightforward, high-energy rock songs capped by Brian Coiner's Mike Ness-ian, two-packs-a-day, haven't-shit-for-48-hours rasp. The tunes on the OC quartet's Come'n Get It! move from point A to point B with zero surprises, no deviations from the loud/hard/fast steez that's been igniting moshpits since your pops was recklessly throwing his carcass around to [insert '77-era punk group here]. Longway get the job done with minimal flash and plenty of wailing backing vocals.
Wait—that's not quite true. Occasionally, Longway go for the midtempo, sensitive approach (“Light On In the Hallway,” “Angels Never Answer”), which they pull off with competent tunefulness. If you have a lighter on you, you will wave its flame when you hear these tracks. You may even sway wistfully to them. (You softy, you.) Another slight tangent happens on the buoyant title track, which sounds like a cross between Hüsker Dü and Jason and the Scorchers; it's my favorite thing on the disc.
Ultimately, Come'n Get It! is punk rock as comfort food (meatloaf and mashed potatoes, say). You'll have the album memorized after three listens, and when you see Longway in the flesh, you will hurl your damn self around the pit like dear old papa did, back when Johnny was Rotten and unleashed Thunders.
Longway perform with Bastard Winos at Gallagher's Pub, 300 Pacific Coast Hwy., Ste. 113, Huntington Beach, (714) 536-2422; www.gallagherspub.com. Sat., 9 p.m. $3. For more info, visit www.myspace.com/longway and www.oldshoerecords.com.
Attention Orange County/Long Beach musicians and bands! Mail your music, along with your vital contact info and a decent high-resolution photo (plus any impending performance dates) for possible review to: Locals Only,OC Weekly, 1666 N. Main St., Ste. 500, Santa Ana, CA 92701. Or just be lazy and e-mail your MySpace link to ds****@oc******.com.
