Agent 51 – Red Alert

I’ve heard better CD’s than this one before, but not many bands are able to make strong hard punk debut CD’s, but Agent 51 had no problem doing that with Red Alert. A lot of Agent 51’s songs are about aliens, the government, and conspiracies. This CD is catchy, and that is the main thing that really stands out even over the lyrics for Agent 51. The band has some Rancid like sound, and their voices even remind me of NOFX, but not so much their music. This CD was released on a mediocre sized record label, Alphabet Records. It is a good label, but I would take this CD over any other one released on Alphabet Records.

The CD kicks off with the CD titled track, ‘Red Alert’ just to warn all that Agent 51 is coming, and it definitely sets the tone for the rest of the CD. The second song on the CD is called ‘Work All Day’ and the title says it all, the singer is sick of working non stop. I think that is why he is so happy to be in a band. The third song is called ‘Boot to the Brain’. It is about the lying government and how they just try to trick you and make you think that they tell the truth about conspiracies and aliens. The fourth track, ‘Designed’ takes a break from the speed that they started with, but keeps up the melodic rock type of aggressive music. It’s about finding yourself and where you belong. The fifth song, ‘Left Me With Nothing’ can get you pumped just from the No Use For a Name type intro.

The sixth song, ‘5 Miles to Bellevue’ changes pace a bit and is about being young and feeling hopeless as you watch others succeed so easily with what they do. You feel like everything you have done so far in life is pointless and there is no reason to continue trying to make it places. Track seven, ‘Homecoming Queen’ gets back to the Agent 51 type of hard punk that was being sang before the sixth song. It is about a homecoming queen, Kelly, and all the pointless emotion felt for her while she really didn’t do anything impressive, but is being greatly noticed. The eight song, entitled, ‘The War’ is a look back song about a war at the house, as everyone tries to get there way, getting everyone angry at each other. Then it shifts to war between countries, talking about how quickly and thoughtlessly we may decide to go to war, while more thinking may be needed. Number nine, ‘Boomerang’ has trashing guitars and is about a kid who is somewhat like Gandhi and doesn’t resort to violence, but still ends out strong on the inside as we hit the half way mark through the CD. The tenth song, a short one called ‘No Way’ is fast paced and hard to understand, but is much alike most of the other things we’ve heard by now on this CD.

Skipping the eleventh song, ‘Hit Man’ which is about a hit man, and moving onto ‘Swingin Doors’ which comes along with an intro and has some of the more inspirational Agent 51 heard on the CD. The intro includes some more talking in a somewhat scary sounding voice (haha). It is about moving. Also telling that the person whom the song is directed at is welcome to come anytime he or she wants. It is something that we all face someday, when we leave for college, or if we don’t go there when we just leave period from mom and dad. The thirteenth song is one of my favorites, entitled ‘Surprise, Surprise’ and is about UFO’s, aliens, the government, and conspiracies as this one is the full package in a song. It also kicks off with an intro about Area 51, including talking about aliens landing on Area 51. This song reminds me of ‘Boot to the Brain’ as aliens is the main focus of the song, and its one that is very interesting, and you will listen to over and over again so you can try to catch all the words. No wonder it’s song un-lucky number 13! The fourteenth track is called ‘Gather Round’. It is about how it sucks to be wrong and have to admit that you’re wrong while others laugh and are all like, “Yea man, I’m right and you’re wrong bitch so take that!” The fifteenth song is called ‘Chuck’. Of course it keeps the same Agent 51 pace going, but once again it’s able to do it in a different way than used before. It’s about standing up for what is right whether or not you’re standing alone. Song sixteen is called ‘Deadlines and Commitments’. It is about trying to run from deadlines, procrastinating as much as you can, because it sucks to not procrastinate. The seventeenth song called ‘I Am Not Going Anywhere’ adds more poppiness than has been heard so far through out this CD. It’s about knowing that you haven’t gotten far in life and done much and thinking that you will continue that way forever. Track eighteen, ‘Conditioned’ is a stronger song about a weak man that needs guts to do many things that he does not want to do. Finally we get to a long end at the nineteenth song, also one of the best by the way, ‘San Diego’s Burning’. It kicks off with one of my favorite things that bands do, singing without instruments. It’s about doing all you can for your city and in the end it isn’t even good enough. Then head to track fifty one for a little ‘Red Alert’ remix from Agent 51 (I know they have a lot of songs and I used the word remix, but they’re not gay rappers trust me).

Overall this is a CD most will not listen to too much, but when you do listen to it, you will get stoked (if that word is used anymore). But really, it is easy to get excited while listening to this CD. It may not be one that you’ll listen to enough to learn all the lyrics in every song, but it is worth buying if you’ve got the extra cash to do so. I bought it after downloading a few songs and falling in love with them, but in all likeliness it will take most people a lot to fall in love with this CD to the point that they listen to it every day. Hell I don’t ever listen to it every month.