The Dictators - The Dictators (2024)

In the past few weeks we have already been treated to the return of veteran heroes such as The Okmoniks, Fastbacks, The BellRays, The Fleshtones and Nervous Eaters, and the mighty Dictators are now joining those illustrious names. Almost fifty years after their must-have debut LP Go Girl Crazy! (and twenty-three years after their last studio album D.F.F.D.), the New York City proto-punks have released a self-titled full-length featuring ten brand new tracks. Founding members Andy Shernoff (bass, vocals) and Ross The Boss (lead guitar, vocals), with Albert Bouchard (drums) and Keith Roth (lead vocals, guitar), are as convincing as ever, with appealing lyrics, mean riffs, potent vocals and contagious harmonies. Kicking things off with the aptly titled Let’s Get The Band Back Together (“Get off the couch, dust off the gear // Screw the kids, get the calendar clear // We’re gonna show ’em how to do it right // We’re gonna do a little rockin’ tonite”), towards the end of the record they pay tribute to their hometown in God Damn New York, and to the Ramones’ frontman in Sweet Joey. Straight-up rock ‘n’ roll, heavy and loud, just the way we’ll love it forever.