Review / 200 Words Or Less
Government Issue
The Punk Remains the Same

DC Jam (2009) Sean K.

Government Issue – The Punk Remains the Same cover artwork
Government Issue – The Punk Remains the Same — DC Jam, 2009

New live E.P. from these DC music legends. Featuring an earlier line-up than on their last live record (Strange Wine), this fits neatly on your shelf sandwiched between that record and Finale. Besides John Stabb on vocals and Tom Lyle on guitar, this release sports Marc Aberstadt (sans headband) on drums and Mitch Parker on bass. Two different live shows are sampled, and rumor has it there is more in the can that may someday see the light of day. Surprisingly bright recording considering this is from the early 1980's. I've seen naysayers whining that we don't need another version of "Sheer Terror" out there. Balderdash. That's like saying you can have too much whipped cream on your pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving.

9.0 / 10Sean K. • October 6, 2009

Government Issue – The Punk Remains the Same cover artwork
Government Issue – The Punk Remains the Same — DC Jam, 2009

Related news

Government Issue bootlegs

Posted in Bands on November 20, 2012

Recently-posted album reviews

Radioactivity

Time Won't Bring Me Down
Dirtnap, Wild Honey Records (2025)

"When I've had enough of modern life, I go back to my analog ways." It's a simple quote, yet it captures so much about Radioactivity. It's been 10 years since the band released Silent Kill, and this time around the Jeff Burke-led group shows clear growth and change, while still capturing the same vibe as the previous two records. In … Read more

Tony Molina

On This Day
Slumberland Records (2025)

I went to a birthday party for my wife and six or seven other friends and acquaintances last night. I guess people liked having sex in January in the late 70s-early 80s? In Canada at least, that’s how we keep warm in the winter! Anyway, I was foraging at the smorgasbord with a couple former co-workers talking about my recent … Read more

Often Wrong

The Figs Are Starting to Rot
Far From Home Records (2025)

Often Wrong is an emo/grunge/screamo hybrid born out of the DIY scene. It was built through the kind of friendships that start in basements, not boardrooms. The band formed in 2024 and quickly started carving out their own lane. They are blending fragile, journal-entry emo with blown-out guitars and throat-shredding catharsis. They’re signed to Far From Home Records, a label … Read more