CD Reviews

Refuse Resist

Mind: Yourself | Rodent Popsicle

By BARRY THOMPSON | August 19, 2008

3.0 Stars

Last time our paths crossed, Mike Resist had consumed more than 30 Jello shots. One could argue that this was a bad choice, but I would respectfully disagree — he has ample cause for celebration. Eight months isn’t supposed to be enough time to go from opening matinees at the Midway to having, like, plenty of real live humans come to your shows. Through some cocktail of perseverance, market savvy, and mayhem, Refuse Resist have accomplished the improbable. They’re also the only hardcore band I’ve seen inspire impromptu go-go dancing. With almost every song making its point and ending in well under three minutes, Mind: Yourself isn’t out to waste anyone’s time, and it doesn’t aspire to anything beyond fast, gnarly rage chow à la Minor Threat and Agnostic Front and maybe Trouble. It’s a splendid ambiance for those occasions when every single piece of furniture in the room must be destroyed. The fastidious clamor emanating from Shawn Refuse’s soundhole is evocative of a truly nonplussed Cookie Monster, and this is a wondrous thing. Here’s hoping the Red Sox replace “Tessie” with “Still in Massachusetts” as their anthem next time they take the World Series, if only for its chorus: “Why am I still in Massachusetts?! State that I love and I haaaaate!”