Editorial Reviews

For a period during the late '80s, it appeared as though the New York hardcore underground was going to take the mainstream rock world by storm, as groups such as the Crumbsuckers, Murphy's Law, the Cro-Mags, and Token Entry were playing to large crowds and attracting the attention of labels. But a global NY hardcore takeover was not meant to be, as the groups never truly matched their local popularity elsewhere. Listening back in the early 21st century however, it wasn't necessarily the groups' fault -- it was more the music biz, who couldn't see how punk and hardcore would appeal to mainstream record buyers (keep in mind -- we were still a few years away from Nirvana and Green Day making punk "appealing" to the masses). And this is definitely the case with the 2007 Token Entry compilation, "The Re-Issues," which pairs two releases together, 1988's Jaybird and 1990s Weight of the World. While not as jaw-droppingly brilliant as say, the Bad Brains (interestingly, it was Brains guitarist Dr. Know who produced these two Token Entry albums), This two-fer shows a band that had no problem whipping up the excitement and fury of their live show in the cold confines of the recording studio, as evidenced by such Jaybird standouts as the title track (a song whose subject matter was a universal one throughout hardcore -- the joy of skateboarding) and the over-the-top intensity of "Token Entry." On World, the group experimented with other styles, including heavy metal on "Revolution" and Chili Peppers-esque funk on "Lucky Seven." For a sample of one of New York's more underrated hardcore acts from the '80s (and one that helped lay the groundwork for future hardcore generations), Jaybird/Weight of the World is recommended listening. Greg Prato, All Music Guide

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