Let's Wreck the Party

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Let's Wreck the Party
Let's Wreck the Party.jpg
Studio album by
D.O.A.
Released1985
Genre Punk rock, hard rock
Label Alternative Tentacles
Producer Brian MacLeod
D.O.A. chronology
Bloodied but Unbowed
(1984)		Let's Wreck the Party
(1985)		True (North) Strong and Free
(1986)

Let's Wreck the Party is an album by the Canadian band D.O.A., released in 1985. [1] [2] It was first released by Alternative Tentacles, in the United States, in order to beat to market a demo tape that had been obtained by another label. [3] The band supported the album with a North American tour. [4] Frontman Joe Keithley rerecorded "Dangerman" for his 2007 album, Band of Rebels. [5] Let's Wreck the Party was reissued in 2010. [6]

Contents

Production

The album was produced by Brian MacLeod. [7] D.O.A. chose to incorporate elements of hard rock in order to broaden their sound and reach a larger audience; they also thought that hardcore punk had lost its political purpose and was no longer attracting new listeners. [8] [9] Keithley was open to changing the band's sound but not the content of its lyrics. [10] He considered D.O.A. to be "satirical, spiritual altruists", not scolds or evangelists. [11] The title track refers to both party crashing and disrupting the conservatism of the 1980s; it has also been interpreted as mocking straight edge. [8] [12] "Singin' in the Rain" is a cover of the popular standard. "Dance o' Death" was inspired by a revival meeting attended by Keithley. [10] "Race Riot" and "General Strike" appeared on the band's John Peel EP Don't Turn Yer Back, which was recorded in support of miners fighting for better wages and working conditions. [13] "Murder in Hollywood" relates the factual story of a Christian sect murder that occurred in the band's Los Angeles apartment building. [14] "Our World" urges listeners to effect change by starting with their local communities. [15] "Trial by Media" is dedicated to Gerry Hannah, a member of Subhumans who was convicted of crimes related to anarchist activities. [16]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [17]
Alternative Rock 7/10 [18]
Robert Christgau B− [19]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [20]
The Great Indie Discography 7/10 [21]

The Morning Call concluded that "D.O.A. is trying to accomplish what has been tried but never quite achieved: a workable, commercial synthesis of punk's rhythms and social consciousness and hard rock's popular stylings." [8] The Oregonian said that "several of the tunes feature chord changes indistinguishable from common heavy metal." [22] Robert Christgau noted "the slightly Britified metal-mania so many professional punks drift into". [19] The Palm Beach Post praised the "sharp insights ... disguised as get-down, party music." [23] Maximum Rocknroll admired the "much more powerful sound". [24]

AllMusic opined that "it's real good in places, though your tolerance for AOR radio rock, even the good kind, might be limited". [17] The Trouser Press Record Guide called Let's Wreck the Party "a cutting and witty record". [13] The Encyclopedia of Popular Music labeled it "a definitive, hard-rocking, intelligent punk record." [20]

Track listing

No.TitleLength
1."Our World" 
2."Dangerman" 
3."Race Riot" 
4."Singin' in the Rain" 
5."Dance o' Death" 
6."General Strike" 
7."Let's Wreck the Party" 
8."Shout Out" 
9."Murder in Hollywood" 
10."The Warrior Ain't No More" 
11."No Way Out" 
12."Trial by Media" 

References

  1. ↑ The Rough Guide to Rock (3rd ed.). Rough Guides. 2003. p. 300.
  2. ↑ Freedman, Donna (April 18, 1985). "Hippies si, Yuppies no, says hybrid punk band, D.O.A.". p. F15.
  3. ↑ Mackie, John (April 12, 1985). "DOA about to hit it big". The Vancouver Sun. p. C6.
  4. ↑ Sullivan, Jim (July 6, 1985). "Coming: Big Black and D.O.A.". Arts and Film. The Boston Globe. p. 26.
  5. ↑ Parry, Malcolm (May 17, 2007). "Joe Keithley's D.O.A. band...". The Vancouver Sun. p. C2.
  6. ↑ Harrison, Tom (April 6, 2010). "DOA reissues 1985 album". The Province. p. B4.
  7. ↑ Murray, Tom (January 15, 2015). "True Canadian icons: Two acts bring back '80s in Saturday night concerts". Edmonton Journal. p. C1.
  8. 1 2 3 Righi, Len (July 5, 1985). "Canadian Band D.O.A. Alive and Kicking". The Morning Call. p. D3.
  9. ↑ Lacey, Liam (November 29, 1985). "Riff Rap: Accolades show DOA is alive and well". The Globe and Mail. p. D9.
  10. 1 2 Gluckman, Ron (April 18, 1985). "Canadian band aims at wider audience". Anchorage Times. p. D9.
  11. ↑ Schroeter, Edward (August 1, 1985). "Music madness hits Regina". The Leader-Post. p. B2.
  12. ↑ Blush, Steven (2001). American Hardcore: A Tribal History. Feral House. p. 28.
  13. 1 2 Robbins, Ira A., ed. (1991). The Trouser Press Record Guide (4th ed.). Collier Books. p. 196.
  14. ↑ Mackie, John (June 1, 1985). "DOA loud and clear". The Vancouver Sun. p. E4.
  15. ↑ Bunch, Jeff (June 7, 1985). "Virgin territory". Weekend. The Spokesman-Review. p. 4.
  16. ↑ Cross, Charles R. (December 1985). "D.O.A. is the Ultimate Canadian Band". The Rocket. No. 75. p. 29.
  17. 1 2 "Let's Wreck the Party Review by Jack Rabid". AllMusic. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
  18. ↑ Thompson, Dave (2000). Alternative Rock. Bloomsbury Academic. p. 742.
  19. 1 2 "D.O.A." Robert Christgau. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
  20. 1 2 Larkin, Colin (1998). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. II. MUZE. p. 1565.
  21. ↑ Strong, Martin C. (2003). The Great Indie Discography. Canongate. p. 56.
  22. ↑ Mitchell, Rick (May 13, 1985). "Canadian band mixes politics, punk". The Oregonian. p. C6.
  23. ↑ Presnell, Jim (July 26, 1985). "D.O.A. wrecks party". TGIF. The Palm Beach Post. p. 30.
  24. ↑ "Record Reviews". Maximum Rocknroll (25): 66. May–June 1985.
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