By 1978, NYC’s beloved Dictators had already released two albums, "The Dictators Go Girl Crazy!" and "Manifest Destiny". Both were filled with the things that reminded one of how fun it was to be a teenager - fast food, cars, girls, TV, pro wrestling. However, in this reporter’s opinion, all of the wacky humor failed to translate into the rock and roll fury that I (and others) were seeking at the time. This all changed with the arrival of "Bloodbrothers", The Dictators’ third and finest LP. The first clue that something different was afoot was the record’s cover - an ominous, backlit photo of the leather clad Dictators standing on the pavement of the Parkside housing project basketball court. The picture was a perfect reflection of the music contained within. The sonic differences between this record and the first two are immediately recognizable. At this point the band had become so musically tight, all of the basic tracks for the album were recorded live. The dueling guitars of Scott ‘Top Ten’ Kempner and Ross ‘The Boss’ Funicello bristle with rage while Handsome Dick Manitoba proclaims righteousness with a newfound confidence. Straight out of the gate, the band slams it home with ‘Faster and Louder’, one of their greatest anthems. ‘The Minnesota Strip’ recounts the trials and tribulations of hookers on 8th Avenue while the near-hit, ‘Stay With Me’, tugs at the heartstrings. ‘I Stand Tall’ will have you saluting the old red, white & blue with a tear in your eye (I get a thrill when I flick on my TV/Faithful every night/I’m so proud to say/I was born and raised/Here where the streets are paved/Here in the USA). Hands down one of the strongest releases from the year 1978.

(Download - "Faster And Louder")

(Download - "Stay With Me")

(Download - "The Minnesota Strip")