Review
Sidetracked
Just a Front

16Oh (2006) Zed

Sidetracked – Just a Front cover artwork
Sidetracked – Just a Front — 16Oh, 2006

When Tacoma, Washington mixed early Internal Affairs with a handful of power violence and took out the repetition, Sidetracked was birthed. The Northwest has been known recently for their exceptional melodic hardcore - Sinking Ships, Shook Ones, etc. - but Sidetracked is a quick reminder of what a dose of pissed off infested kids with instruments and amps can do.

While some songs on Just a Front seem to straddle the ten second mark, others more comfortably glide past a minute. The mixing of their influences makes an interesting ride. Take for example the intro to "Just a Front" that starts off with some youth crew groove and springs into frightening speeds and distortion.

If you want easy sing-alongs, mosh and/or melody look elsewhere; there's nothing easy about Sidetracked. They don't repeat parts. To some this might seem all over the place, but if you're a fan of attention deficit disorder, Just a Front will sock you in your mouth with what you've been yearning for. Just don't complain when you lift the needle and your newly discovered shellshock settles in.

7.0 / 10Zed • August 1, 2006

Sidetracked – Just a Front cover artwork
Sidetracked – Just a Front — 16Oh, 2006

Advertisement

DCxPC 2025

Recently-posted album reviews

Pinhead Gunpowder

Unt
1-2-3-4 Go! Records (2024)

Pinhead Gunpowder began in 1990, recording a 7” in 1991. The band last released a 7” in 2008… Until late 2024 when the band returned with the 14-song full-length Unt. So congratulations if you had “we get a new Pinhead Gunpowder record before a new D4 record on your bingo card. (These two bands released a split 7” in 2000 … Read more

The Cure

Songs of a Lost World
Capitol, Fiction, Lost Music, Polydor/Universal (2024)

It's been sixteen years since The Cure released their last album. I don't know if anyone really knew what to expect, but it's one of the most influential bands in history so expectations were high. The Verdict? Those expectations were met. It'd be silly to say Songs of a Lost World is a "return to form" as the band and … Read more

City Mouse

So Far Out
Brassneck Records, It's Alive (2024)

There are few bands that hit with the mix of raw emotion and musical talent as a live City Mouse show. There are even fewer bands that can capture that live feeling on a record. It’s been a long 7 years since Get Right, but So Far Out keeps it moving as if no time has passed. Of course, the … Read more