CRIMINAL RECORD N4 -4BE2

4BE2 - FRUSTRATION/ CANT EXPLAIN, 45RPM
Well the lines have been truely been blurred this time, i didnt know if i should of made this a 'CRIMINAL RECORD' or just 'REVIEW' it, being such a hard decision i just married the two to make it easier and so that i didnt have to choose (what ever 'box' i put it in i would of regretted an hour later).
This single isn't the first that the band released, their first single was released in 1979, and the band was fronted by one JIMMY LYDON younger brother of JOHN, who was last seen before 4BE2 skulking off the boat to avoid the police during the PISTOLS jubilee river trip (easily done when MCLAREN was 'show-boating'), but it had a picture cover and it was only (ha) a quid so i got it.
I don't want to compare the two brothers and their respective bands but the PISTOLS or P.I.L this ain't!
The record's 'a'-side 'FRUSTRATION' has an overdubbed horrid hollow keyboard sound that almost drowns out the other instruments and the singing is done in a way that sounds like they were sung while staring at the words on paper for the first time by someone who didn't want to be there, totally flat throughout.
The singles 'b'-side is a version of I CANT EXPLAIN by THE WHO, i have always wondered why people record other's song's when they have nothing new to actually offer the song's, it is sung in just the same dull flat way as on the 'a'-side, and the music plods through the song at a slow muddy pace. in fact it sounds like a warm up or a sound check song, and to be honest the best thing i can think about it is 'listen to the original'.
So in summing up, i would seriously avoid this single (unless you want the cover that features a photo of the band with JOHNNY ROTTEN and, i think JAH WOBBLE, its hard to tell) on the back and a bad child like drawing on the front.
And thats despite it being made by people who would go on to make good records with other bands, (its line up included 'PIG' YOUTH', JOCK MCDONALD, and others). it is obvious that their songwriting talents didn't 'flower' while in 4BE2.
"its cwiminal, it-its cwiminal".