7 inch singles collection: The Adverts - No Time To Be 21

After a few mellow records it's time to clear the air with a bit of punk:

THE ADVERTS

A-side: No Time To Be 21
B-Side: New Day Dawning
(Bright  1978)

The Adverts had a hit with a brilliant record called Gary Gilmore's Eyes. I don't have that record - you'll notice a bit of a theme coming through this collection in that I often don't have the big, well-known hit record, but have the less well-known ones that came out after or before. Not to say that these records are any less good, just maybe not as publicly recognisable. This is one of three Adverts singles I've got, plus another by front man, T.V.Smith's, next group Cheap, so more on their background later.

No Time To Be 21 is as nihilistic and as angry as you'd want a punk record to be. Railing against the world which is dead set against the youth, so you might as well cause trouble and be an outcast, because joining in makes you as dead and as hopeless as the rest. This raises in me two distinct and separate feelings. One that says "Yeah I know how you feel - stick it to the man!" and the other which says "oh, don't be so hopelessly naive".

The B-side whilst still being very Punk and interestingly angular it it's rhythms is much more postive. No Time To Be 21 is very much nobody likes us , so we're going to sulk in a corner, whilst New Day Dawning see them wondering if something better can come along and maybe the right people can make a difference if they plow on, fighting not for glory but for right and justice and to make the world better for all.

Both sides are make great listening and both, clocking in at just over 2 and a half minutes, are a blast of much needed energy.

Next time a record so obscure I can't even find a YouTube link for it!