My Riot is the album by Roger Miret, the frontman for the legendary hardcore band Agnostic Front, and his street punk band the disasters. It's an album full of sincerity and integrity, and the music is simple honest street punk. There is nothing new to it, and if this were a new band composed of young kids, this album would be considered cliche. It's not, though. So it works.
When "Warning! Warning!", the album's first track, opens with the line "Let me take you by the hand back to the streets of New York City", you know you are hearing an honest message from a legendary frontman. And then through song after song, the Disasters play straight-up street punk with Steve Jones-influenced guitar riffs and an overall sound that is equal parts Clash, Rancid and Dropkick Murphys.
The themes are straightforward and typical for a street punk album. These are songs about growing up punk rock, about life on the streets and about pride and unity. Again, it's nothing new; it's almost as if all of the classic albums by all of the classic punk and oi bands were broken down into a basic formula and used to create an album. But it works.
"Ramones" is a tribute to that band, complete with a "Hey ho! Let's Go!" chorus and multiple references to other Ramones songs. It could be a bit silly or over-the-top, but it's not. And the last track on the album, "Runaway Reggae Remix", is a nice punk reggae tune that brings the album to a close.
It's all about integrity and credibility. Roger Miret is neither a snot-nosed teenager nor a trust fund punk rocker. He is an esteemed figure in the punk community, and he is sincere when he sings his songs. My Riot is not about breaking new ground; it's about telling a story that needs to be told.
