By Tim Lee

Despite the claims of many writers and fans, the punk rock scene today is just as strong as it has been in the past. One such example of this strength is the latest release by Chicago’s own The Lawrence Arms, Oh! Calcutta!

The follow up to The Greatest Story Ever Told doesn’t fall short of the high expectations of its release. Oh! Calcutta! is every bit as angry, intense and tenacious as you could want an album to be. The Lawrence Arms have grown up a bit, but they’re still angry, and they’re letting everyone know.

Oh! Calcutta! Is not a drastic departure from the jokingly self proclaimed “Midwestern, beer belly despair rock” that the Lawrence Arms have been making for the better part of the last seven years.

However, it does build upon certain sonic and lyrical achievements reached on their previous full lengths. Chris Mcaughan’s vocals on Oh! Calcutta! are so strained that you can almost hear his vocal chords shredding. The lyrics stay in step with the intensity of the vocals. The bands maturation is exemplified on the track “Lose Your Illusion I,” specifically the lyric “Yesterday means nothing to me/ We’ve gotta move on there is no other way/ Yesterday is nothing but a dream to me.”

This idea of moving forward instead of looking back is a lyrical constant on Oh! Calcutta!

If there are any major shortcomings on Oh! Calcutta!, the most notable would be its brevity. Clocking in at a mere 33 minutes, the record rushes headlong through its 12 songs.

Still, it can be added to the pantheon of great modern punk rock albums. It may not define any genres but it’s a great album and certainly proves that the punk rock scene is still showing signs of life.