Album Review: Culture Abuse – Good Shit, Bad Shit, Who Gives A Shit?!

Culture Abuse are set to release their brand new full length “Good Shit, Bad Shit, Who Gives A Shit?!” digitally via Epitaph Records on July 24th, however, this is not a new studio album, live album or even a best of, although if you want a best of then just pick up or download their two studio album’s, 2016’s “Peach” and 2018’s “Bay Dream“. “Good Shit, Bad Shit, Who Gives A Shit?!” is a collection of unreleased demos, home recordings, live recordings, alternate versions, collaborations and some vintage punk cover versions that are all contained on a sprawling 29 track album that will keep any Culture Abuse completist happy until the band can return to the studio and get back on the road.

“Good Shit, Bad Shit, Who Gives A Shit?!” can be broken down in sections, there are rough live cuts that captures the chaos of Culture Abuse‘s live shows across the the US and Europe, these include of ‘Bee Kind To Bugs‘, ‘Chinatown‘, ‘Bay Dream‘, ‘Calm E‘, ‘Dream On‘ and ‘Rats In The Walls‘. Acoustic and home recordings at present and correct, including ‘Goo“, that was recorded on a ferry, along with home recordings of ‘Bee Kind To Bugs‘, ‘Rats In The Walls‘ and ‘Bluebirds On My Shoulder‘ that reflect the origins of the band’s songwriting. Demo recordings are of course included, the excellent quasi psychedelic ‘California Speedball‘ demos of ‘Rock Steady‘ and ‘For You To Know‘, alternate mellower takes of ‘Turn It Off‘, ‘Chinatown‘ and ‘Heavy Love‘, that features Juan Gabe of Comadre on vocals, from “Peach” show the softer origins of their debut album. The “Bay Dream” demos are also represented with ‘Bee Kind To Bugs‘, ‘Bluebirds On My Shoulder‘, ‘Rats In The Walls‘ and ‘Feels So Weird‘ and the 2017 Amsterdam demos of ‘Tre Cool‘ and ‘Flintstones‘ are both, quite possibly literally, high points.

The cover versions offer surprises, two Sex Pistols covers, ‘Problems‘ and ‘Submission‘, are offered that are simultaneously true to the originals and true to Culture Abuse, you’ll see what I mean when your hear them. The Equals ‘Police On My Back‘, that was latterly made famous by The Clash, is given the Culture Abuse treatment as is an original by Joe Strummer‘s crew with a manic live cut of ‘Should I Stay Or Should I Go?‘ and Buzzcocks ‘What Do I Get?‘ completes a run through of vintage UK punk bands. You also get Neil Young‘s ‘Helpless‘, the Velvet Underground‘s ‘After Hours‘ and Blaze Foley‘s ‘Clay Pigeons‘ that reflect the flip side of their influences, and to throw you a curve ball there’s a cover of Culture Abuse‘s ‘Jealous‘ by Defeater‘s Jake Woodruff thrown into the mix.

“Good Shit, Bad Shit, Who Gives A Shit?!” is quite possibly the most honest compilation title of all time, this is very much one for their established fan base, having said that there is no way that even the most die hard Culture Abuse fanatic is going to love everything on this chaotic collection of rare and alternate recordings. However, if you are a fan then this is definitely worth your pennies and time as there are some superb unheard tracks on here and an insight into their creative process, along with live recordings that remind you exactly what we’re missing in 2020 and a few what the fuck moments, all of which makes you wonder what else Culture Abuse have on the shelf and what their next album will bring.

You can pre-order and pre-save “Good Shit, Bad Shit, Who Gives A Shit?!” here