The Challenge: Review this EP from the Minutemen in a minute or less. Begin!
This is the outstanding first release from the Minutemen. The band was made up of D. Boon on guitar/vocals, Mike Watt on bass/vocals, and George Hurley on drums. They played punk rock, but the sound they created was unique. While I admit that I do not have extensive knowledge of classic punk bands, I am unaware of any group that sounds like the Minutemen. Their song melodies were mostly driven by the bass, with the guitar adding interesting flourishes or doubling the bass line to add more punch.
Released in 1980 this six minute and forty one second EP will kick in the door to your mind and make itself comfortable. The longest track clocks in at a speedy one minute and twenty seconds, but all seven songs are incredibly memorable. More impressive is the musical variety on offer. Up-tempo, down-tempo, abrasive, groovy, contemplative; I could go on with other descriptors. Heck, there is even an instrumental!
If you are a fan of punk rock and have not heard Paranoid Time stop what you're doing right now and rectify the situation. Wait. Scratch that. All fans of the Almighty Rock n' Roll who have not heard Paranoid Time need to listen to this EP post-haste! I'll provide a youtube link below. It will take less than seven minutes to listen to the whole thing! Seriously, who doesn't have seven minutes?
Huh? Turns out I've got seconds to spare! Well I might as well put them to good...
Time's up! Challenge complete!
--Penfold
Paranoid Time EP
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