With their first studio album in eight years,
999 return with guitars blazing. Ignoring the albums 13th Floor Madness and Face to Face, this album starts where 1981's Concrete left off. "Black Flowers for the Bride" is a fantastic, thumping opener that equals any of their earlier concert anthems. Kicking into a lower gear with the second track "(There Is No Glory In) Mary's Story," the album doesn't quite reach the heights of that opener, but it does get awfully close. "Signed Dangerous of Hollywood" rocks harder than most bands half their age. "Bye Bye Bones" is a great little rock & roller. "Everybody Needs It" is classic
999 at their most playful. "Absolution" and "Crazy Crazy Crazy" are great rockers played the way that only
999 could play them: edgy, energetic, and fun. Though the songs are not as hook-filled as their earlier material, overall, You Us It! is an album that will always be classified as punk but in reality is just a great slab of rock & roll. ~ Steve Schnee