Listening to The Kind is definitely a nostalgic trip back to my college days in Flagstaff, Arizona. For a couple years, there was a small but thriving and entertaining local music scene that made life a little more interesting for those of us heavily involved in it. We put on tons of punk rock gigs at the famous Elks Lodge, jammed in college bedrooms, played campus shows and recorded local band compilation tapes. Out of all those bands, a couple still stand out as actual contenders, one of them being Warsaw (who I believe ended up relocating to Tucson sometime during the 90s).

Warsaw was a very ambitious band that featured instrumentation well beyond the typical guitar/bass/drums lineup most local bands might employ. Using two percussionists, saxophone and often a horn section, Warsaw's ska-funk-punk approach was unusual and one of the better live shows in town. The Kind I believe was compiled from a couple different recording sessions and actually is one heck of a good album. The sound quality is strong and you can clearly hear all the instruments. Moreover, the songwriting is strong throughout, showing the band in their many phases. "Echo" is probably my favorite number, a moody piece that features a violinist adding some atmosphere. "Not to Be Understood" is a fast paced, ska number that is aimed more at getting your booty on the dance floor. There are some amusing blunders on the album, such as the rap nonsense of "Rampage of CRSP", lyrically aimed at the Flagstaff Police. I have a feeling the meaning of the song will be fully missed by those who have never been to Flagstaff and quite honestly are lost on those of us who did live there. Band leader Chris Poland's vocals are sometimes a bit flat, but it's pretty easy to ignore that when you focus on the band's interesting song arrangements. A lot of talent congregated in this band and The Kind is truly a good record that probably should have given the band exposure beyond just the local level.

Review by John Chedsey

Review date: 03/2000

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