Beware Of... - Slaughter & the Dogs

Slaughter & the Dogs were there at the beginning, but lacked the controversial flair of some contemporaries who got more ink or the talent that helped their other peers remain major influences decades later. They had a few classic songs ("Cranked up Really High" was the first single to be released by a punk band), but little else, and a longevity to match. Nostalgia brought key members Wayne Barrett and Mick Rossi, kind of a punkin' poor man's Tyler and Perry, back together in the '90s with a new rhythm section. Though this is the second release of all-new material from the stalwarts after several semi-official live releases, after 1999's Shocking it was the first to have a proper promotional push in the States. The band sounds like they're having fun, and Beware Of is pleasant enough, fondly recalling the days when punk incorporated glam influences proudly. But at the end of the day, it often just magnifies the aforementioned limitations of the group. The fact that the best song on here, "Hell in New York," was written in the glory days and only finally put down in the studio for this disc shows how hard it is to teach old dogs new tricks. ~ Brian O'Neill, All Music Guide