Redd Kross
reached its peak in the early '80s, when the band made such humorous and clever contributions to punk rock as
"Linda Blair."
As the '80s progressed,
Kross
got away from punk and went for cleaner, less reckless alternative rock and power-pop. Those who play 1990's
Third Eye
next to
Kross'
early recordings will hear just how radically the band changed over the years. Whether rocking aggressively on "Shonen Knife," going for a very melodic "jangly guitar" approach on "Annie's Gone" and "I Don't Know How to Be Your Friend" or sounding positively
Beatle
sque on "Bubblegum Factory,"
shows just how far it has come since the irreverent, freewheeling aggression of
While some punk enthusiasts missed the old
, this decent though not outstanding album proves that the band was still worthwhile at the dawn of the '90s. ~ Alex Henderson