Chelsea

Chelsea

Faster, Cheaper & Better Looking

[3.5/5] We won’t lionize Faster, Cheaper & Better Looking simply because it comes from one of British punk’s first-wave pioneers. No, this latest chapter in the Chelsea story deserves attention because it actually rocks. Definitely on par with the band’s legendary 1979 self-titled debut, Faster features numerous feisty, tough-yet-melodic rockers that show a band not merely going through the motions (as is the case with some of the elder U.K. punk bands still around today), but infusing their often politically charged songs with heart, energy and yes, an exciting youthful vigor. Raucous numbers “Sod The War,” “New Utopia,” “45 RPM” (a fond remembrance of being transformed by punk), “If We Knew Then,” the out-of-control “Mr. Ferry’s Son” and the poignantly superb “Sliding Down A Stream” are right up there with classics “Urban Kids,” “Decide” and “Government.” Still, there are a few lackluster moments, namely “And I Love You” and the dragging “Cosy Family Way,” but they’re few and far between. (TKO) Janelle Jones

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