"So, why don't we throw away the hate and rock tonight?!" This invitation from Kid Dynamite's "Pacifier" captures the band's main objective perfectly. This is positive hardcore for the nineties, y'all. In a scene ruled by boneheaded thugs, self- defeating sensibilities, and macho pretension, the boys' brotherly call- to- arms comes as a welcome surprise.

It's unfortunate we have a comparative precedent upon which to judge them, else our excitement might damn well be unmanageable. But the reality remains-- in Kid Dynamite, we have by-products of some of Philadelphia's finest hardcore outfits: Lifetime, and Ink and Dagger. Associations with the former are the most obvious; for all intensive purposes, it's probably safe to regard Kid Dynamite as an afterlife of the now- defunct Lifetime, a progeny attributable to Dr. Dan Yemin, guitarist extraordinaire for both bands.

If affections for Lifetime are still fresh in your mind while listening to Kid Dynamite, you may be moderately disappointed, though the music itself won't be to blame. Kid Dynamite actually raise the musical intensity a few notches, adding more throttle to the charge, more velocity, and more youthful exuberance. Songs plug away at breakneck speed, more than a few clocking in at under thirty seconds. One can't help but draw occasional parallels to masters of the genre, Gorilla Biscuits, a comparison which speaks volumes for the band's abilities. (Nowhere is this more evident than in the final segments of "Bench Warmer," a groove highly reminiscent of the classic breakdown in Gorilla Biscuits' "Start Today.")

And yet, something feels lacking. At album's end, hardly any memorable melodies remain, a quality never factored into the Lifetime equation. Is singer Jason Shevchuk to blame? Perhaps. Upon initial inspection, he doesn't seem to stray too far from the path of Lifetime vocalist Ari Katz-- both are virtually unintelligible in their delivery, though convincing all the same-- but whereas Ari was redeemed by a fundamental warmth and ear for melody, Shevchuk is more crass and abrasive. The effect works well in some cases, but not in most. And it's unfortunate, because many of the ideas he's dispensing are rather insightful. "Sweet Shop Syndicate" mocks objectified treatment of women: "Through your terms of endearment, refer to her as a 'bitch,' 'slut,' a 'whore,' and a 'hole.'" "Table 19" speaks to an all too familiar feeling: "What's a day without regrets? To me it's nothing new." And "The Ronald Miller Story" sets up a simple, yet powerful musing: "A token sunrise sickens the incomplete."

I approached this review worried it would come out sounding negative, but going through the process, I realized the good far exceeds the bad. When measured against the Lifetime yardstick, Kid Dynamite's first full- length may fall a bit short, but in and of itself, it's still an explosive piece of work. (My roommate Kurt calls it "exceptional," but he shouldn't use words he can't spell.)

-Kevin Ruggeri