Starting off the record we have three tracks from The Teen Idles, featuring Jeff Nelson and Ian MacKaye who would go on to form Minor Threat with Nathan Strejcek (Washing D.C. Youth Brigade) on vocals. The three tracks go by fast, ending with a Stooges cover.
Next up is three tracks from The Untouchables, lead by the younger brother of Ian MacKaye, Alec MacKaye. "Rat Patrol", "Nic Fit", and "I Hate You". With the exception of one other track these are the only songs ever released by the band. Sonic Youth would cover "Nic Fit" on 1992's Dirty. Alec would go on to play in Faith, Ignition, and The Warmers.
Next up we have State of Alert or S.O.A., Henry Rollins' first band. I am a huge S.O.A. fan. Their No Policy EP is my favorite seven inch from The Year In Seven Inches comp. One original and two covers, including "Stepping Stone", which was also covered by Minor Threat and The Untouchables.
Minor Threat comes in with two tracks, including the Wire cover "12XU", which is where the album got it's name.
One of the only bands from this compilation to last more than three years, Government Issue shows up with two quick numbers, "Hey, Ronnie" and "Lie, Cheat, and Steal". The songs are over so quick they are easy to miss.
Washington D.C.'s Youth Brigade. There was a more famous and long lasting Youth Brigade from L.A., but Washington's Youth Brigade are great in their own right. They provide some of the best tracks on the compilation. Although I am a bigger fan of The Teen Idles or S.O.A., those two bands put out better material on their seven inches than they did on this comp.
The Youth Brigade songs end side one of the vinyl version, a side that really represents the "classic" D.C. sound. Side two gets a little more hardcore and little more experimental, kicking off with an instrumental from Red C.
Red C takes a different approach to their music, giving them the most unique sound on this compilation, but not so much that they sound out of place.
Continuing the experimental vein is Void's feedback drenched noisy punk. Void is another band that really takes their own approach to music. They also released a great split LP with Alec MacKaye's Faith.
The last three bands are heavier hardcore punk, and fit together well to round out the album.
Starting with Iron Cross, one of the first American Oi bands. They would go on to write "Crucified", a skinhead anthem, covered by many streetpunk and oi bands including Agnostic Front.
Artificial Peace offer three songs, "Artificial Peace", "Outside Looking In" and "Wasteland". Raw and heavy, the songs sound like a slightly more advanced version of the original DC sound.
Finally, we have Deadline, with future Fugazi drummer Brendan Canty. Deadline ends the album with "Aftermath" one of the only songs on the album to break the two minute mark.
