Righteously angry but not without humor,
the U.S. Bombs offer up more retro British punk with
The World, a crackling collection of anthems that bears so much resemblance to early
Clash at times that it's a shock to hear
Duane Peters' careful
Joe Strummer imitation intoning "I'm proud to be an American" on "Yanks & Rebs," even if he is being sarcastic. Still, in spite of the formula, the cuts that ape
the Clash's sense of political outrage are the strongest here; songs about skateboards, motorcycles, and sex just don't hit quite as hard when they sit next to passionate declamations against war and poverty (even if it's rather easy to be against both of those). And with the extended, gentle opening of "Hobroken Dreams," the band proves that it has a few tricks of its own. Overall, though, one can't help but detect a certain sameness to the proceedings the longer the album plays. ~ Steve Huey