Welfare Problems
Standard cover art for Welfare Problems
Studio album by
Randy
ReleasedMay 6, 2003
Genre
Length31:47
LabelBurning Heart Records
Producer
Randy chronology
The Human Atom Bombs
(2001)		 Welfare Problems
(2003)		 Randy the Band
(2005)

Welfare Problems is an album by Randy, released in 2003 by Burning Heart Records. It contains twelve tracks, including the single "X-Ray Eyes," which, alongside the closing track "Dirty and Cheap," also appears on the soundtrack of the Swedish black comedy Smala Sussie.[1]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic [2]
The Bedlam Society [3]

Welfare Problems has received critical acclaim. Johnny Loftus of AllMusic granted Welfare Problems 4 out of 5 stars, stating that the album "finds Randy's ideology undiluted by the addition of buzzing guitar hooks and shoutable choruses to its punk rock roots." In the review, Loftus positively likens Randy to punk rock bands like Ramones and garage rock bands like The Modern Lovers, complementing Randy's "staunchly socialist stumping" in their lyrics and citing the band's clear draws from Eddie Cochran and Roger Daltrey as lyrical and stylistic influences. Loftus also compliments the album's lead producer, Pelle Gunnerfeldt, for producing a sound "with touches of fuzz and a perfect mix of lead and supporting vocals." The review concludes with Loftus stating, "Randy may want the kids to rise up, but the band knows that shouting and dancing come first."[2] Loftus cites "A Man in Uniform," "X-Ray Eyes," "Welfare Problems," and "Dirty and Cheap" as the standout tracks.[2]

In his review of the album, Chris O'Toole of The Bedlam Society rewarded the album 8.5 out of 10 stars, favorably comparing Randy to other bands that were part of "the recent garage influenced Rock N' Roll revival," including fellow Swedish bands The Hives, Refused, and The (International) Noise Conspiracy. O'Toole praises Randy's growth over their career since their 1994 debut album There's No Way We're Gonna Fit In, and he compliments Randy's "maniacally energetic" style. While pointing out that several of the songs on the album have more "reflective" and "personal" subject matter than others, he says, "one of the most endearing qualities of this Swedish quartet is that they are not afraid to showcase their quirky and fun side along with the harsh reality of their [sociopolitical] concerns." O'Toole cites "Cheap Thrills" and "X-Ray Eyes" as stand-out tracks, calling the latter "[a rival] and [...] certainly on par with "Hey Ya!" by Outkast for best song of the year."[3]

Track listing

All music is composed by Randy (Johan Brändström, Fredrik Granberg, Stefan Granberg, Johan Gustafsson)

Track listing for Welfare Problems
No.TitleProducer(s)Length
1."Dirty Tricks"Pelle Gunnerfeldt2:11
2."A Man in Uniform"Pelle Gunnerfeldt3:12
3."Bad, Bad, Bad"Pelle Gunnerfeldt2:49
4."We're All Fucked Up, More or Less"Pelle Gunnerfeldt2:14
5."Cheap Thrills"Jocke Åhlund3:41
6."X-Ray Eyes"Pelle Gunnerfeldt3:26
7."Welfare Problems"Pelle Gunnerfeldt1:55
8."Cheater"Pelle Gunnerfeldt2:12
9."Ruff Stuff"Pelle Gunnerfeldt2:17
10."My Heart, My Enemy"Pelle Gunnerfeldt2:30
11."Devilish"Pelle Gunnerfeldt2:36
12."Dirty and Cheap"Pelle Gunnerfeldt3:09
Total length:32:06

Information

  • recorded at Studio Gröndahl
  • all tracks except for "Cheap Thrills" produced by Pelle Gunnerfeldt[4]
  • "Cheap Thrills" produced by Jocke Åhlund[4]
  • Mixed and engineered by Pelle Gunnerfeldt[2]
  • artwork by Henrik Walse[4]
  • released by Burning Heart on May 6, 2003[2]
  • performed by Randy

Credits

  • Fredrik Granberg - drums
  • Johan Gustafsson - bass, background vocals
  • Stefan Granberg - lead vocals, guitar
  • Johan Brändström - guitar, background and lead vocals
  • Jennie Asplund - background vocals
  • Johanna Asplund - background vocals
  • Calle Olsson - background vocals
  • Randy - Composer, Engineer, Primary Artist, Producer

References

  1. ↑ "Slim Susie (2003) - Soundtracks". IMDB. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Loftus, Johnny (6 May 2003). "Welfare Problems - Randy - Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  3. 1 2 O'Toole, Chris (17 February 2004). "Read a Great Review of the Latest Randy Album". Epitaph. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
  4. 1 2 3 "Caesar's Palace - It's a Trap: Scandinavian Music Journal". It's a Trap. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
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