This debut album from Edmonton, Alberta?s Raymond Biesinger (guitar/vox) and Trevor Anderson (drums) is an eclectic, trebly collection of punky, snarling shouters with aggressive titles like ?Stab Stab Stab? and a vintage Brit punk sound that might best be described as Wire playing surf music! Anderson?s fodderstomping backbeat propels ?Girlfriend/Boyfriend? and ?Fun Is Not Fun? through the roof (or should that be through the floor!) and this album is sure to be a moshpitters favorite. So slamdance at your own risk!

?The Big Chief? is more exciting, electroshock punk that?ll appeal to fans of Sweden?s Hives and Finland?s Flaming Sudeburns, but old time fans of minimalist punkers like Richard Hell and The Voidoids and DNA will also dig the Struts? efficient, tightly-wound firecrackers. I even detected a hint of Television strutting through ?Diamond Coats and Other Things.? So if you are looking for a shot of adrenalin in the middle of a lazy afternoon and that double shot of espresso just isn?t doing the trick, slap on The Veritcal Struts. Just don?t let your boss catch you doing the electrocuted chicken dance in the middle of the aisle! 7/10 -- Jeff Penczak (27 June, 2006)