Machine Gun Etiquette cover

Machine Gun Etiquette

Released

Having broken up and reformed following the misfire of Music for Pleasure, and with Brian James gone while Captain Sensible switched to guitar, the Damned added Algy Ward on bass and sought to show they could do something more than they’d already done. They succeeded in spades: Machine Gun Etiquette keeps plenty of punk brevity but expands scope in the arrangements, lets songs breathe a bit more, and basically just levels up on stellar numbers like “Love Song,” “I Just Can’t Be Happy Today,” “Plan 9 Channel 7” and “Smash It Up.”

Ned Raggett

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