Brilliant album from our Brisvegas punks who play fast melodic punk with passionate, politically and socially charged lyrics. In a time when it increasingly seemed like punk bands were judged on what they wore, what endorsements they had and how many Myspace friends they had, it’s refreshing to hear a punk band focused on issues that actually matter and not just pandering to the latest flavour-of-the-month trends. Bad Day Down was that band.
Pressing:
500 x CDs : SOLD OUT
REVIEWS:
Death Before Dishonour #5
BAD DAY DOWN – If This Is How It Has To Be
Bad Day Down is an awe-inspiring Australian punk band, and although the boys reside in the sunny state of Queensland, BDD is actually made up of an American, an Engishman and two Aussie lads. Regardless of their 50% international background, BDD are just four friends playing their passionate, energetic, politically and socially charged music. Since late 2003 the boys have been constantly touring and delivering their in your face tunes to an ever growing fan base, If This Is How It Has To Be continues the vision that their debut Biting The Hand That Feeds began. From the opening hook of ‘Haditha: Democracy Assinated The Family Here’, to the closing track entitled ’15 Secoonds Of Lame’ Bad Day Down make their way through an album of technical punk tracks with inspirational and thought provoking lyrics, never slowing down once. It is only a matter of time before BDD are making their mark on audiences abroad, so grab the cd, catch a show, and support a true original Aussie punk band. This CD is a must for fans of: Propagandhi, Boysetsfire, and Bigwig. Stand out tracks include: ”Australian’ Is A State Of Mind’, ‘The Half Of It’, ‘Deus Ex Machina’, and ‘$5 Punk Haircuts’. “Put up your own website, print your own fanzine. Start a band, start a revolution. Something’s got to give.” Rating: 4.5 / 5
Review by: Brad Fulton
HardcoreSounds [Finland]
BAD DAY DOWN – If This Is How It Has To Be
Bad Day Down, some of Australia´s finest, have released their second album and it’s all about fast-paced punk right up to the critical 27 minute mark. Bad Day Down is best suited for fans of NOFX, Bad Religion, Strike Anywhere etc. The Brisbane-based band proves to be excellent in criticising our modern world and bringing out some of the major points that are wrong about it. You can´t fool these guys with any corporate bullshit or political hypocrisy. No Sir, they´re gonna set things straight. They have a point or an issue to deal with in every song, in every sentence, in every breath. The music is fast, dynamic and catchy. So what else can you ask for a CD like this? These guys aren’t wet behind the ears and that can be heard from the opening seconds of the album. They’re for real – plain and simple. “If this is how it has to be” is absolutely a great punk CD and the moment you reach that 27 minute mark, all you can really do is spin it again. So it´s all about the music, about making a point and everything else is just not important anyway. The production is clear as a bell so you´ll find this very easy on your ears. The band will gain a lot of critical acclaim for this CD, no doubt. You want punk, you got it. So take it or leave it. Rating: 4.5 / 5
Review by: Hell16
Rave – Issue #774
BAD DAY DOWN – If This Is How It Has To Be
Who Goes There?: Brisbane locals playing expertly crafted, crisp, punk rock; an excellent circle-pit waiting to happen and political momentum in-the-making. How Goes It?: Okay kids this is why you haven’t heard the last from Bad Day Down. Teeming with sub-two minute pearlers, their debut If This Is How It Has To Be must be one of tthe best things to come out of the Australian punk scene since Frenzal Rhomb made records that got them on the TV. Scathing and revolutionary, the fifteen tracks are carried by intermittent vocal harmonies and a perfect balance between instrumental speed and fluency. 4 Stars
Chris Driver
Blunt – Issue #56
BAD DAY DOWN – If This Is How It Has To Be
Another Pee Records classic and another Aussie band stepping up to the state-of-the-world chagrin charged plate. Bad Day Down are straight-up punk rock, built off that all-too familiar sound from the glory days of the ’90s, but there’s something decidedly modern about their resonance. You could call them Australia’s Propagandhi / Rise Against, but I’d prefer to call them Australia’s great punk hope. If This Is How It Has To Be is catchy, passionate, affable and most importantly, uniquely Australian in message and sound., there are 15 tracks in all, though some so short I’d prefer to call it a solid 12 or 13. Still, it does look impressive when perusing the listing on the back. If you like your political messages hard and fast and your punk rock passionate and decidedly Aussie, Bad Day Down is exactly what you are looking for. Rating: 8 / 10
Review by: SF
Bombshell Zine
BAD DAY DOWN – If This Is How It Has To Be
This cracker has been out for a while now, so you’ve probably heard a track or two doing the rounds, Brisbane lads playing solid fast anthemic punk rock, with meaning and thought in their lyrics. 15 tracks to bide you over including what I think was the best punk song of last year by an aussie act ‘Australian Is A State Of Mind’. One to crack open the lyric book and read along, you might learn something.
Thrill House Zine – Issue #4
BAD DAY DOWN – If This Is How It Has To Be
This is punk rock at it’s best; fast and catchy tracks, lots of political lyrics, rough as guts vocals and none of that fashion bullshit, just jeans and a t-shirt Aussie punk. The album opens with ‘Haditha: Democracy Assassinated The Family Here’, a bloody catchy track with prominent drums and bass. It’s a track about war and the lyrics are about different battle victims. After all of the horrible accounts, the track closes with the lyric “But I guess that’s what hapens when we vote with our wallets. We care more about our interest rates than the people of this world”. This is one of my favourite lyrics from the album as it seems really relevant to the current times and a great observation. Most of the songs are strongly political and overtly left-wing, but there are a few funny ones that depict the current music scene like $5 Punk Haircuts’ which picks apart everything bad about the kids and the music and finishes with the line “You can fight dance your way back home, and start moshing like the good old days” Having three vocalists makes the music a lot more powerful and having a great lyricist is a great asset.
Favourite tracks for me would have to be ‘H: DATFH’, ‘Australian Is A State Of Mind’ and ‘One For The Money’. This LP is a great all rounder and one of my favourite Aussie releases of the year. Rating: 4 / 5
Review by: Tom
The Dwarf
BAD DAY DOWN – If This Is How It Has To Be
Bad Day Down is an international hardcore punk band based in Australia and who’s associated with Pee Records. With an American, an Englishman and two Aussies they have a great sound but seem to have something missing. From the first song, the meaningful lyrics populate the album. The anti-war themes are plentiful in most of the album and the old fashion punk/rock attitude is still strong between the band. It is evident that they have spent a lot of time perfecting the lyrics and they have done a great job and many times during the album I couldn’t help but thinking that they could be the next Midnight Oil? The in your face style really does dividends in the album, there is a great atmosphere established in the songs and really makes you think about the lyrics. Although they sound off pretty well, there is something that is missing and I couldn’t put my finger on it until half way through the album. Their vocalist seems to be monotone which can really hurt a band or make them into a hit. It seems that although they are a good band, they could be better if they worked on the vocals and drumming. But with the old school punk mixed with political issues, this band has the potential to be a great Australian band.
RELEASE DATE:
13 Oct 2006
Also Available From:
CREDITS:
CAT #: PCD013
Produced by: Jeff Lovejoy
Engineered & Mixed by: Jeff Lovejoy @ Black Box Recording
Mastered by: Jason Livermore @ The Blasting Room
