Brain Failure/Big D and The Kids Table - 'Beijing to Boston'

The super duper neat-o thing about punk rock is that its ideology is supposed to be all-inclusive — anyone can pick up an instrument and bash out a punk rock tune about any topic of interest, from the political (i.e. - The Clash’s “White Riot”) to the not-so-much (i.e. - The Ramones’ “Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue”). To that end, punk rock has spread around the globe, as evidenced by the recent split album Beijing to Boston, co-released by Chinese punk rockers Brain Failure and American ska masters Big D and the Kids Table. The split is a bit uneven, but still a solid purchase for punk/ska fans. It's repetitive at times, but at least it does it well.

Beijing to Boston is split down the middle with six tracks from each band. Brain Failure starts things off with “Coming Down to Beijing.” Right away, it’s obvious who Brain Failure’s influences are: Rancid and Operation Ivy. Basically, Brain Failure is a Tim Armstrong tribute band. But what the dub-tinged punkers lack in originality, they make up for in conviction. Besides, Indestructible was kind of crappy and I could use a good Rancid album, even if it isn’t actually written by Rancid per se.

Regardless, “Coming Down to Beijing” is a solid opener. Boasting a duet of sorts between Brain Failure frontman Xiao Rong (whose Armstrong impersonation is flawless) and Mighty, Mighty Bosstones boss Dicky Barrett, the song reveals BF’s firm pride in China and three-chord guitar parts.

Tracks two and three, “Living in the City” and “Time to Go,” follow the same Rancid-rock formula. Guitarist Dee Dee Wang Jian lends his gruff baritone to “Time to Go,” making him the Matt Freeman to Rong’s Armstrong. Sure, it’s been done before, but not quite to death.

Brain Failure missteps just a tad on the next track, “Fall in Love 2008.” The band focuses more on Rancid’s dub side on this one, and while the Mandarin verses have a great groove to them, the English choruses come off as too sleepy and limp. Thankfully, after four-and-a-half minutes, “Fall in Love 2008” segues into the more rocking “City Junk.” It’s incredibly catchy. Finally, there’s the awkward “You’re Gonna Die” to close out Brain Failure’s half of the split. A diatribe against moochers and deadbeats who don’t pay off debts, “You’re Gonna Die” reminds listeners not to “rip off money from your friends/ You’re gonna die.” Seriously: Rong says it like 30 times in the span of two minutes.

While Brain Failure’s half of this album will grow on listeners over time, Big D and the Kids Tables’ half disappoints a little bit more with each spin. “Faded” starts off promisingly enough, with the first half of the song showcasing a very slow, hazy reggae instrumental. Heavily affected guitar and a classic reggae bass line groove along while some melodica floats over it, making for an excellent chill track. Halfway through, though, the song shifts into pure punk/ska territory, with frontman David McWane shouting a list of reasons why he hates playing shows with crappy bands. While McWane’s hatred of watered down screamo and liquored up drunk people is certainly empathetic, after a while it begins to grate. “Taking Back the Rhythm” continues to berate “the scene” for its unoriginality, but without any convincing hooks, McWane sounds just like the sneering hipsters at whom he’s aiming.

“I’m Yours Boston” is a poppier track, detailing Big D’s love of a certain Mass. city. It’s ska-punk-by-numbers, with barely-there lyrical effort and standardized horns. “Running Young” follows the same formula, albeit faster and punker.

The second-to-last track, “Digging in Your Nails,” is perhaps the most frustrating song on Beijing to Boston. Instrumentally, it’s incredible. Starting off with searing punk and then later transitioning into a more dub-style bridge (complete with more sweet, sweet melodica, courtesy of guitarist Seth P. Rogan), “Digging in Your Nails” sounds like a great, catchy rude boy song. But on a lyrical level, it blows, thanks to McWane’s economic approach to songwriting, as he repeats the title over and over. It’s as if McWane wanted to top the repetitive nature of Brain Failure’s “Your Gonna Die.” But, at least the melodica and horns sound cool.

“Ruin You” caps off Beijing to Boston, as McWane awakens from a night of alcohol absorption. It’s more dub, D-style.

Overall, Beijing to Boston is a mixed bag. Brain Failure’s half is good, but unoriginal. Big D and the Kids Table’s half is original, but kind of lame for a band that has previously turned out such umpteenth wave ska gems as The Gypsy Hill EP and How It Goes. Then again, Big D’s full-length, Strictly Rude, is just a month away, and a second proposed work, Strictly Dub, is still incubating. Perhaps the D has simply stretched its creativity too far in 2007. I supposed we’ll find out when Strictly Rude drops in March.