It's been quite some time since I've heard any activity from the Bondi camp. But this short EP didn't take long to get me revved up. In fact, the opening riff of "Hardball" makes it obvious that Vic's wall of sound has gotten a little thicker, more colorful, and a whole lot heavier! And as always, Bondi flips over that angry, snarling riff about a minute into the track to expose a melodic underside of sparkling, open-chord voicings set in avalanches of distortion. The melancholy just seeps out like rising steam, filling your ears with Bondi's uniquely crafted anti-war lyrics, then kicking into overdrive again in time for Bondi to show us that he hasn't lost his "I'm gonna tear this thing apart" soloing style on the gee-tar.

Track two is a cover of Fogerty's "Fortunate Son". This is one of those covers that has been burned away completely to its bare essence, and then forcibly restructured in the artist's vision and likeness. The pumping bassline is about all that remains of the original Fogerty melody, bathed in currents of supercharged guitar noise. I never thought this track could have this much dimension (especially when crappy metal band REVEREND covered it about ten years ago)!

The last two tracks are classic AOF tunes "Buy This War" and "American Dreams" which will bring back your combat boot and anti-Reagan memories in abundance, hopefully so much so that your will invest in the newly re-released "AOF Complete Volumes 1&2" on Alternative Tentacles Records. Here's hoping for a soon-to-come full-length Bondi release!

- Marchman

OFFICIAL SITE: www.vicbondi.com

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