The Riffs - Dead End Dream
Genre: Glam Punk
Year: 2002
Place of Origin: Portland, Oregon
General Pace: Moderate
The songs contain bleak lyrics about drug addiction, tough environments and living on the streets fused with pop-sounding vocals and musician-work that is a mixed bag of various punk influences. Their sound is not too aggressive, but not too happy pop punk, either. Recording is "indie" and a little muffled so I couldn't hear every word, but the lyric sheets are strong here. Not because they're uber deep, but because you get a sense that The Riffs are not just writing for effect -- they've lived the stuff.
Best Song: "Nowhere to Go." Backup singer gets involved as the chorus is "nowhere left to go" while they throw down "be another slave on the factory floor."