Laughter! This record rocks! Regardless of what you might think of the punk-”scene” in the last thirty or so years, there’s no denying that blazing pub-rock anthems in best Oi! tradition such as those found on “Best of Oi!” will provoke some ironic laughter in listeners anno 21st century. I’m sure that their creators were all serious and stuff about this music, but at some points I simply can’t contain myself: When Cock Sparrer blast off with oh-so-nationalistic “England Belongs to Me” I give a little chuckle. Yes, die-hardcorists, the true purists of punk will probably have a go at me for this, but how can you take this music too seriously? The very name of the genre is a sort of running joke between myself and friends, never mind the actual songs.

Of course, that’s not to discredit or make (too much) fun of all the collected songs on “Best of Oi!”. What makes Oi! so listenable and appealing to a wide audience is the fact that it’s light and catchy, yes, that it’s fun to play loud and that it’s speedy. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself humming Sham 69’s “George Davis is Innocent” while walking down the street, or end up brawling with police officers on Friday nights on the town after hearing Cockney Reject’s “Police Car”. Neatly packaged political messages are at the heart of Oi! and give all the fun tracks on here a sharper edge, with fiery criticism of the status quo.

Not much wrong here if you like the slightly anthemic feel of fast pub/punk-rock. This is catchy as in pop, political as in hardcore, but would probably best be served with a pinch of salt.

Year Released: 1995
Label:
Related Link: Best of Oi!
Date Reviewed: 2003-12-24
Author: Andreas