Part of the post-millennium reimagining of early-'80s
post-punk,
the Fuse! are a southern California power trio with one foot in the
Gang of Four/
Mekons school of rabble-rousing art
punk and the other in the more abrasive, confrontational style of classic
Fall. (There's even a hint of
Crass/
Zounds/
Poison Girls/etc. in the militant anti-style of the chaotic vocals and the sociopolitical undercurrents that are understandable in the lyrics.) The anonymous trio (they simply go by the designations
F1,
F2, and
F3) kick up a furious storm of
post-punk energy leavened by the presence of some actual
pop hooks that show up in the most unexpected places, and the brief songs (14 in just over 32 minutes) never overstay their welcome. In a field of
post-punk nostalgia suddenly overcrowded by people who think they're the next
Au Pairs,
the Fuse! have a better than average handle on what makes this music tick. ~ Stewart Mason