This came out in 2002 – or at least that’s when I got it. Here’s what I said about it back then (with some minor editing):
They say youth is wasted on the young. So is punk rock.
Sure, alienated kids think they’re the real punks, rebelling by dressing identically and playing in lousy soundalike bands. But a few years from now, 90% of them will be wage slaves waiting for their piercings to grow over. The real punks are the oldsters who didn’t jump ship and grew up enough to learn it’s not how fast you play, it’s what you have to say that matters. Case in point: Sweden’s Satanic Surfers, whose 13 years together have turned them to a solid, mature outfit a la Bad Religion and All. Unconsciously Confined, their fifth CD, is all the proof you need — 25 minutes of short, sharp pop-punk melody, proficient performances and smart lyrics that explain how a good piece of pecan pie can be just as important as social revolution. In the hands of guys like these, punk’s not just getting older, it’s getting stronger.
