The Oppressed/ The Prowlers – Split LP/ CD (Aggrobeat)
These shouldn\’t be new names for the oi oi types amongst you but just in case – The Oppressed and The Prowlers represent the voice of antifascist oi! and have done so for a very long time. Cardiff\’s The Oppressed have been flying the flag for almost 35 years, and Canada\’s The Powlers for over 15 years. It\’s no coincidence that these two bands are put together on this record, as they have a long history of touring together, and they share the anti racist message loud and proud. Although both bands are musically pretty close let\’s start with The Prowlers. There\’s no messing here, you get your oi! music served straight up with no surprises. With a nod to The Oppressed here and Runnin\’ Riot there, this delivers exactly what you need. Well played, designed for singing along and drinking along to. Back across the pond, The Oppressed are not exactly known as prolific songwriters and true to form, these recordings feature a blend of covers and old classics, done in their inimitable style. They take the originals with Roddy Moreno slapping his own lyrics onto the tune, turning anything from \”Somebody\’s Gonna Get Their Head Kicked In Tonight\” to \” What Shall We Do With A Drunken Sailor (Skinhead)\” into an instant Oppressed singalong. Jazz it definitely ain\’t, ruck\’n\’roll it most certainly is! Tom Chapman