J.F.A. - We Know You Suck

For me, this was one of the most long-awaited reissues of old hardcore punk that has popped up. Phoenix, Az. heroes JFA, or Jody Foster's Army, were one of the best of the old "skate rock" bands from the 80s, but their records have been out of print for years. I was lucky enough to stumble upon copies of "Valley of the Yakes" and "Untitled" in a lil' record store for a few bucks a piece and they've become some of my favorite records.

Anyway, "We Know You Suck" compiles JFA's first two records, the "Blatant Localism" 7" (1982?) and "Valley of the Yakes." (1983). Both are fast, tuneful -- but far from poppy or extremely melodic -- slabs of youthful hardcore punk that bring to mind Bad Brains, Ill Repute or "Group Sex"-era Circle Jerks. Lyrics are really pretty silly and juvenile (in a good way!), with most songs about skateboarding (of course) or how the band hates jocks, preppies and other various enemies of punkdom.

Some personal favorite lyrics of mine are in "The Great Equaliser," in which singer John praises Ronald Reagan for starting a nuclear war and creating an atomic wasteland where preppies are destroyed by "groups of skaters, roaming in packs" because "we had the adaptability you lack." Now the skaters are free from harrassment and have all day to skate around amidst charred buildings and the bodies of dead cops and football players. Really funny, but really smart at the same time. When mst punk bands were churning out standard ...Ronald Reagan" lyrics, JFA found a way to turn the idea of Reagan-bashing on its head and still be successful about it... while still retaining the fun element to their music.

Also, check out the ripping, reverb-drenched surf instrumentals on this CD: a cover of "Walk Don't Run" is included, as well as JFA original "Baja" which, in the right time and place, could have been a bonafide surf hit. Too bad the band was 20 years too late for that one...Thank God for Jello and AT. Without him, these tracks would probably stay out of print and hard to get, but now everyone can enjoy the pool-ripping, curb-grinding fun of JFA.--amazon


Genre: Skate Rock
Year: 2003


Tracklist:

01. Out Of School
02. JFA
03. Do The Hannigan
04. Count
05. Beach Blanket Bongout
06. Cokes & Snickers
07. Kick You
08. Great Equalizer
09. Preppy
10. Little Big Man
11. Johhny D.
12. Walk Don't Run
13. I Don't Like You
14. Baja
15. Skateboard
16. We Know Who You Suck
17. Too Late
18. Sadistic Release
19. Axed At Howard's
20. 1-10
21. Guess What?
22. Bouncer
23. Middle America
24. Lowrider
25. Out Of School - (live)
26. Great Equalizer - (boomer version)
27. Skateboard - (live)
28. Preppy - (Topsider version)
29. Standin' On The Verge - (live)
30. Teen Idol
31. Johnny D. - (live)
32. Charlie Brown - (Schroeder version)
33. Do The Hannigan - (live)



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