''Murphy's Law'' is the second album from

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band, Murphy's Law. It was released in 1986 on

Profile Records Profile Records was one of the earliest hip hop labels. As well as hip-hop they released disco, dance, and electro records. History In 1980, Cory Robbins, who was 23 at the time and had worked briefly for MCA, wanted to start a record label. H ...

which was attempting to broaden its horizons from the rap genre it was generally known for at that time. It follows the band's debut, ''Bong Blast'' in 1983, and was re-issued by Another Planet records in 1994 with '' Back With A Bong'' on the same disc.

Overview

Murphy's Law were at the forefront of the

New York hardcore New York hardcore (also known as NYHC) is both the hardcore punk music created in New York City and the subculture and lifestyle associated with that music. New York hardcore grew out of the hardcore scene established in Washington, D.C., by ban ...

movement in the early 1980s – but there was something inherently different about their sound. They did have the hallmarks of their peers – fast paced, short songs with

mosh Moshing (also known as slam dancing or simply slamming) is an extreme style of dancing in which participants push or slam into each other, typically performed to "aggressive" live music such as heavy metal and punk rock. Moshing usually happen ...

sections which pleased the crowds – but they also managed to blend in some laid-back Californian punk sounds, mutant rock and roll, even blues into the stomping New York hardcore anthems. Some of the songs on this album could also be credited as an influence on the burgeoning

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scene which had taken to incorporating elements of New York hardcore into their sound and general song structure – for instance, Anthrax and S.O.D., whose

Speak English or Die ''Speak English or Die'' is the debut album by American crossover thrash band Stormtroopers of Death, released in August 1985. Parts of the songs "March of the S.O.D.", "Milano Mosh", "Chromatic Death" and "Sargent D and the S.O.D." were used fo ...

album pre-empted this release. However, whilst they shared a common interest in the lyrical themes of drinking, smoking, and partying with the likes of

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hardcore band,

Gang Green Gang Green is an American punk rock band originally from Braintree, Massachusetts. Chris Doherty (guitar), Bill Manley (bass) and Mike Dean (drums) started the band in 1980 and broke up in 1983. Doherty reformed Gang Green the following year ...

– another trait which separates them from the socio-political leanings of fellow NYHC bands – they were never going to go down the metal road, although on later albums they did diversify into experimentations with

ska Ska (; ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. It combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues. Ska is characterized by a walki ...

. Highlights on this album include the self-titled opener, "Care Bear" and the Iggy Pop

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, "I Got A Right".

Track listing

*All songs written by Murphy's Law, unless stated #"Murphy's Law" – 1:48 #"California Pipeline" – 1:33 #"Sit Home and Rot" – 1:35 #"Fun" – 2:06 #"Beer" – 1:55 #"Wahoo Day" – 0:32 #"Crucial Bar-B-Q" – 2:30 #"A Day in the Life" – 1:50 #"Care Bear" – 2:56 #"Ilsa" – 2:38 #"Skinhead Rebel" – 1:16 #"I Got a Right" ( Iggy Pop) – 2:36

Personnel

* Jimmy "Gestapo" Drescher – vocals * Alex Morris – guitar * Petey Hines – drums, backing vocals * Pete Martinez – bass * Recorded July, 1986 at Sound Ideas and Evergreen Studios,

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, USA * Produced and engineered by Robert Musso for Action Entertainment Group, Inc * Assistant engineered by Dary S * Mixed at 39th Street Studios and Quadrasonic,

, USA * Cover illustration by Alex Morris * 1994 re-issue remastered by Alan Douches at West West Side Music

External links

Murphy's Law official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Murphy's Law (Murphy's Law Album) Profile Records albums 1986 albums Murphy's Law (band) albums