TAXI DRIVER – 8 SONG DEMO TAPE REVIEW
Taxi Driver is one of two punk bands on our site whose name is also one of my favorite movies. Bad Lieutenan’s is the other band whose name comes from a movie I love. Now, if we can only get a band named “Pink Flamingos” on here my life would be complete.
Well, I don’t even know if Taxi Driver got their name from the movie. The movie is from ’76 and is directed by Martin Scorsese with Robert DeNiro and Jodie Foster in early roles of their careers. Harvey Keitel, star of Bad Lieutenant, had a part in this movie, also. But “Taxi Driver” is also a good tune by Hanoi Rocks, an old Finnish glam rock band and Finland is where I’ll be soon relocating to, to be married! But, I digress- onwards toward the music.
Taxi Driver play energetic, intense, serious sounding hardcore with sing along back up vocals much like Black Flag or the Oi bands. Their songs aren’t always at breakneck speeds, opting for slower tempos at times, but they seem to make a point of never losing their aggressiveness or intensity. And you must remember, this is just a demo tape that I snagged at a gig of theirs, which was my first time seeing them. And I was impressed with them live but even more so by this demo tape.
It has eight songs and the first three are my favorites. The first song starts with slow Black Sabbath like chords until some bellowing comes in, like a rhino being stuck with a pitchfork. But soon we’re “off to the races” as it turns into a galloping beat. The song is called “Discontent” and the music fits perfectly that word with its gloomy chords and aggressive, irritated beat. The “shout along” vocals are here and I like how it slows down again instead of racing to the end.
The second song, “Hooligan” has a nice blistering chord progression against another insistent beat. The song could be called “Working Class Hooligan” and has lyrics like “Working class till we die/ Working class till the end.” Very Oi like, indeed, and a very good song.
“Outlet” the third song with lyrics like, “This is our outlet, so fuck you, fuck you,” is another relentless song that rips apart the speakers with its aggression and passion. And like “Hooligan” when it slows down when you expect it to speed up just makes it more effective.
The rest are good, also, but these are the best to me. With better production some of these songs would really rule. I’m impressed enough to say I expect good things from them and I’m wise enough to know I probably won’t be let down.
So, good work guys and check these hooligans out. Just raise your hand on a corner, pay your fare and hop right in.
(Jim Slimedog)
