THE RUTS Vinyl & CDs

Review: Originally released in 1979, The Crack is an album that should require little to no introduction for any punk aficionado worth their salt. The debut LP from homegrown heroes The Ruts still serves as a cornerstone genre gem, sporting the classic hit, 'Babylon's Burning', while the "white reggae" of, 'Jah War', has only seasoned with natural finesse and its anti-Metropolitan messaging retains major relevancy more than four decades on. The only true full-length from the band during their tenure with original vocalist, Malcolm Owen; the work has gone on to become a much-adored entry into the seminal, formative years of the punk scene. Even mega-fan and friend of the band, Henry Rollins, embarked on a long, arduous journey to track down the original iconic painting which adorns the cover. Now that's commitment.