The political punk record, as a concept, is now decades old, and any band wanting to make a new one really needs to pull out all the stops, or adopt a fresh approach, to rise above the studded belts and low-slung guitars of their peers.
But what makes a truly noteworthy political punk album? You might be inclined to think back to London in 1977 and the release of The Clash's eponymous debut. And you'd be very close, but, in my humble opinion, not quite there.
Take yourself 500 kilometers northwest and two years on, and you'll find yourself in Belfast in 1979, just as Stiff Little Fingers unleash their debut album, "Inflammable Material." Much like "The Clash," it's steeped in teenage boredom and dissatisfaction. But, unlike that album, Stiff Little Fingers' offering is steeped in something infinitely more sinister and violent — the "troubles."