If you were a
hardcore fan in the New York Tri-State area during the mid-'80s, chances are that you found yourself at countless
Cro-Mags shows. And you can also attest that
the Cro-Mags were one of the genre's top live attractions -- especially during their
Age of Quarrel era. So it's baffling why the group didn't get around to issuing an official live album until 1994, when
Hard Times in an Age of Quarrel appeared via the
Century Media label. That said, this double-disc set is not from the group's aforementioned peak period, but rather consists of a pair of shows from the early '90s -- October 31, 1991, at
the Hollywood Palladium and February 18, 1994, at
Studio One, New Jersey -- when singer
John Joseph and bassist
Harley Flanagan were the only original members left. That said, the group still sounds as fierce and vital as ever, as proven by intense readings of such
Cro-Mags classics as
"We Gotta Know," "Street Justice," "World Peace," and
"Seekers of the Truth." While longtime fans would have probably preferred a more vintage live set,
Hard Times in an Age of Quarrel still does quite nicely. [
Hard Times in an Age of Quarrel was re-released in 2000 with a different cover photo.] ~ Greg Prato
