Dick

Dick is practically a companion piece to Ginn's solo debut, Getting Even. Both albums were released only months apart, yet stake much of the same sonic turf: murky vocals, spluttering guitars, and battering rhythms that naturally recall Ginn's former pioneering band, Black Flag. However, where Getting Even is a tight, focused affair, Dick giddily mixes terse instrumental outbursts like the fuzz bass-driven "Never Change, Baby" with scattershot punk ("I Won't Give In" and the grinding, almost-metal "You Dirty Rat"). Ginn's contempt for modern society seems bottomless, judging by the closing blast of "You're Going to Get It" — on which he howls, "I want to get back/I want to get even." However, a sly humor emerges on the punk-blues of "Strong Violent Type," which incisively demolishes a macho clod's twisted notions of sexuality (one of Ginn's favorite themes since his "TV Party" days). "Slow Fuse" is as close to a crunch ballad as he's ever gotten, until those dissonant guitars bear down and remind you of who's piloting them. Often copied, Ginn's jangly defiance has never been assimilated, as the handful of instrumentals show. "Creeps" boldly mates fuzzed-out guitars to hip-hop, "Disgusting Difference" to funk, and "Ignorant Order" to a crawl through every lick in Ginn's paint-peeling arsenal. Although unfocused at times, Dick marshals enough of the old firepower to make it a worthwhile listen. Flag fans should enjoy hunting down echoes of their favorite riffs, too.