Something smells rotten in Punkland, USA. Recently, the scene has lost many of its most prominent members, including Jason Thirsk of Pennywise, blond shock- rocker Wendy O. Williams of the Plasmatics, and Tim Yohannon, founder of Maximum Rock N' Roll. Add to that list Phil Suchomel, the guitarist and primary songwriter of Naked Aggression. Even if he'd been able to predict his untimely death, it's unlikely that Gutwringing Machine would sound any more urgent than it does, a quality consistent with one of the band's major themes-- live each moment to the fullest.

Kirsten Patches' lead vocals help to distinguish this band from their contemporaries. Imagine Miki and Emma from Lush backed by supercharged, '77-style punk rock and you'll have a fairly accurate sense of Naked Aggression's sound. Having started the band while they were music majors at the University of Wisconsin- Madison, Kirsten and Phil's capable musicianship also helps to separate them from a genre not generally noted for technical ability.

But are the ever so important qualities of subversive music-- heart and soul-- still apparent? Refer to the anthemic "Problems In Your Head (B.S.F.U.)," where the chorus consists of regular tradeoffs between "Bullshit!" and "Fuck You!" for your answer. Phil's backing vocals on songs like "Stay Away" and "Wound Up" offer Misfits- style adrenaline boosters, while adding a nice meaty counterpart to Kirsten's more melodious tunings. The lyrical topics don't necessarily break new ground-- we have carpe diem songs, songs about resisting the dehumanizing trends of the working world, songs about the tedium that is commercial radio-- but they're handled with a degree of sincerity that helps us forget we've heard it all before.

The Epitaph crowd will probably find this album too abrasive, others may be turned off by the female factor in the vocals, but overall, this is a solid swan song for a band well noted for their energy and integrity. The lyrics Phil wrote for "Over The Top" read: "With what I have/ I do the best I can/ For all I know/ Tomorrow could be the end." These words may seem eerie in light of his death, but they make his philosophy clear. Happy are those who hear Gutwringing Machine and realize that he stuck by his words until the end.

-Kevin Ruggeri