Really Red formed in Houston in 1978. By this release in 1982, the band had essentially jump started the Houston hardcore scene and toured with some hardcore greats. They seem to be a generally forgotten hardcore band from the 80s (though a song from this EP was on the American Hardcore soundtrack), which is a shame. The band steered away from the typical less than a minute punk blasts and had some very intelligent lyrics.
The EP starts with "I Refuse To Sing", which clocks in at just under three minutes. U-Ron has very distinct vocals' his Southern drawl slightly comes through but to a large extent. His voice is also good; it doesn't crack, like he actually knows how to sing, which is something rare in punk music. Another thing to note of the band is that all the instruments, and now just on this EP, are mixed evenly. You can plainly hear the drums, plainly hear the bass, and plainly hear the guitar, without having one over power the other. The production quality is solid as well throughout the whole album. Robert Weber is a very capable drummer, keeping the rhythm and timing well in the track. John Williams' bass is something to really pay attention to. He knows exactly what to play and knows to play it well. About two-thirds of the way through, Kelly Younger's guitar skills come through, showing that each member is talented on just this track alone. The second song, "No More Art", is a much faster song. The snare rolls in the chorus mix well with the gang vocals, and U-Ron's vocals seem to change for this song, sounding like a less visceral Vic Bondi. The next song continues the gang vocals, this time on the intro and the choruses. They seem to overpower the verses though and do get rather annoying over the two minute song. The next song is arguably their most well. "I Was A Teenage Fuckup" is a really fast paced song, featuring snare rolls and down strokes galore. The words are very repetitive, but for the intended crowd, the lyrics are relate-able and for those listening are easy to sing along to. It's a fun song.
The EP closes with "Ode To Kurt Kren", one of the few songs Really Red has that's under a minute. It's a loud, fast, short blast of music featuring angry vocals and blistering musicianship. The EP is a good one; it's one of those that stick out after a listen. However, the album's songs all follow the same; albeit one for good tracks. Compared to their albums though, the album just doesn't have the same diversity among songs. The EP is good, but a little redudant.
7/10
The EP is out of print, and the discography release is difficult to come across. Worth it if you do.
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