Tuesday, February 09, 2016

Weight Of The World

Last month, after writing about a couple of Anthrax albums from the John Bush era, I came up with the stupid idea of making a run at some records that I really enjoy, but seem to be universally shit upon by everyone else. When I started thinking about which turd I wanted to step into next, Token Entry's beautiful stinker seemed to be the obvious choice.

I can fully understand why people may hate this Token Entry album. If I'd been following the band through their From Beneath The Streets and Jaybird albums, The Weight Of The World would have probably bummed me the fuck out. But I was really just starting to discover hardcore around 1990, and therefore, The Weight Of The World was my introduction to the band...so maybe I was a bit more forgiving than most.

Dudes in Token Entry must have been losing their shit over both Soulforce Revolution from 7 Seconds and Mother's Milk from Red Hot Chili Peppers...mix in a dash of DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince with songs like Beautiful People, and while it sounds like the perfect recipe for a shit sandwich...for me, it works here. Honestly, I'd love to hear the band's insight on writing and recording this oddball. It would be cool to hear where their heads were at.

So I get it...you are a Hardcore purist, and you hate this album. Me however, maybe it was a time and place thing, but I get a kick out of listening to it. I'm happy to add it to the collection, even if it makes me feel like a complete tool for owning this LP, and not having a single copy of the superior Jaybird.

5 comments:

massivewaste said...

I never liked Jaybird, i loved their first 7", and your post made me laugh - I have experienced that same over and over again - you just can´t argue over taste. For example, everyone hates the "Cut the Crap" era Clash - I love it. Was maybe my first Punk record - nah wait, the very first was the Plasmatics video "The Damned". Both perfect bangers for your said list by the way.

buzzkill.xvx said...

This album was my introduction to the band in the early to mid 90s. A time when i was just discovering hc and was into bands like sonic youth, rhcp, babes in toyland, smashing pumpkins, primus, etc. (still am btw). Maybe that's why i prefer this lp over anything else they put out. I also have copies of the 7", fbts lp and jaybird but none of those could really win me over. so while i love 80s hc to me twotw is their best material. time and place? totally.

kevshall said...

Play opening of "Revolution of Values" to a kid today and I think first band that would come to mind is Turnstile. I won't hear a bad word said against Jaybird and this is good album (by no means perfect). But it's definitely of its time in terms of the outside influences pouring in unabated. After all, the early 90s was a strange time for hardcore and metal.

Mark-Sandwell said...

I haven't heard this since it came out but I do remember thinking what the fuck! Love the other stuff though. Jaybird was an integral album for me getting properly into hardcore especially NYHC.

luciferyellow said...

I had the same experience (it being their first album that I heard) and I loved it for all the same reasons. Your write-up hits the nail on the head.