D Generation

July 25 - August 1, 1 9 9 6 [Off the Record]

*** D Generation

NO LUNCH

(Columbia)

Sometimes in all the hype about image, D Generation's music gets forgotten. It's a potent hybrid of driving rock and roll peppered with '70s power pop that goes well beyond their leather and hairspray. After a crash-and-burn beginning (they split with EMI after one album), these guys are ready to ram three chords and an attitude down your throat again.

Although often classified in the punk-revival genre, D Generation occasionally sound like an early Guns N' Roses. Songs like "Scorch," and the classic "No Way Out" capture that beefy energy and airtight precision that made GNR the '80s Led Zeppelin. But D Generation aren't afraid to step away from their hard-edged stylings and swallow a few yellow pills. Tracks like "She Stands There" and "Capital Offender" feature gentle pentatonic leads that hark back to Cheap Trick-brand pop. Producer Ric Ocasek reveals the sweetness of "No Way Out," "Waiting for the Next Big Parade," and "Frankie" with no phony affectations.

-- Lorne Behrman

(D Generation open for Kiss at the FleetCenter this Wednesday, July 31, and Thursday, August 1; they also play a midnight show at Bill's Bar on July 31.)