Krum Bums

When discussing crusty punk rockers the Krum Bums, adjectives like "passionate," "abrasive" and "boisterous" are pretty safe descriptors. That said, one would do best to stay away from "prolific," "inventive" or, say, "original," if being used in the positive. Their first release since 2007 full-length As The Tide Turns, this six-track EP (recorded in early 2008 but only now seeing the light of day) isn't exactly going to win awards for advancing the state of street punk. From opener "Split Tongue" through the ensuing 20 minutes, this is nothing less than an exercise in revisiting the same dead horse they and cohorts such as the Casualties and Lower Class Brats have been beating for over a decade. While that's not entirely bad, thanks to the guttural, embittered attack and endless stream of chanting choruses, those looking for something even modestly evolutionary from the Krum Bums should, well, look elsewhere. Punk rock luddites, however, will be in their snotty element.