"Are the Goons the greatest band on the planet? If they're not, they're sure as fuck close. No other band that I'm aware of combines hardcore intensity, punk rock sleaze, R&B soul and pop melody in such a flawless package. Not since the Big Boys has there been a band so damn close to possessing everything that makes a rock group great. As the title of the last track on Nation in Distress states, "Modern Man Ain't Got No Soul;" however, it seems the Goons have taken it as their solitary mission to bring it back.

"To me, this quality called "soul" is all about surrendering yourself to the moment and doing something completely un-self-conscious. The soul-singers of the 60s sounded like they did because they were surrendering themselves to something a little different than what most hardcore kids are familiar with: Christianity, alcohol, black culture. The Goons, on the other hand, sound like they're surrendering themselves to pills, speed and nihilism; as such, the Goons are less a band trying to make music that's fun, catchy or sophisticated and more an engine that takes all the fucked up shit that goes on in the world around us and converts in into raw auditory bile with near-100% efficiency. In short, if you see the world anything like how I do, the Goons sound like what's going on inside your head when you watch the news, go to work or even look out your window.

"And the songs... fucking hell they're brilliant. It's been a matter of years since the Goons' incredible last full-length (which I believe is, unfortunately, now out of print) and it's clear that the Goons have spent the interim whittling this set of songs down to an unfathomably sharp point. While there isn't a chorus that's quite as classic as the Goons' best song, "White Tide," every song is brilliant and unique, from the bouncy punk of "Eight to Life" to the straight-up vicious hardcore of the title track.

"With the current trend toward rock/hardcore bands getting so popular, I think that bands are looking for the soul that a lot of music-and hardcore music in particular-has lost. A lot of these kids are looking backward to the blues-based music of bands like Black Sabbath to re-inject their music with the spirit that much of it has so sorely lacked as of late, but the Goons prove that you don't have to revamp your style to find what's missing; you just have to play like you fucking mean it.


Deep Fry Bonanza May 10th, 2004

Wow, this was a suprise. Solid hardcore tunes here that don't merely rely on speed to mask incompetence like so many others do. Hell, a couple of tunes are downright anthemic. The lyrics manage to be topical and political without sounding like a pamphlet and the singer has an atypical timbre to his vocals but still manages to elicit the requisite pissed-offedness required for the genre. In short, some rockin' stuff here.
Razorcake Magazine 2004

A decade of system smashing punk rock and roll, and these DC veterans are still at it with a new record. Musically The Goons are certainly breaking no new ground, basic street punk with, a healthy dash of rock, and plenty of guitar wanking that wouldn't be out of place at your local bar punk show. The vocals set this record apart... While the similarities to Biafra are almost non-existent. I still get the same feeling I got when I first heard DKs. Like a more shrill Fleshies on vocals and a more street savvy Fleshies making the music. Politically fuelled, pit friendly hardcore punk that I think goes rather unnoticed.
Robert Slug and Lettuce Magazine #80 - Summer 2004

"I have a confession to make. Despite the fact that I've seen and/or played on the same show as this band close to a dozen times in the last five years, I've never paid attention to them. I always regarded them as another punk band. After listening to this disc, I feel live I've come to the party late. This disc, released on Baltimore's Reptilian Records, is simply excellent. As soon as I put it in the player I was pleased, but it wasn't until after listening to it three times that I finally discovered what it was that impressed me so much. With a delivery reminiscent of early 80's DC Hardcore and SoCal hardcore punk like Keith Morris era Black Flag, The Goons carry with them what none of those bands had - actual musical talent. Whereas most of the early hardcore punk bands got by with raw energy and urgent delivery, their inability to play their instruments is legend - anyone who's tried to cover a Black Flag song knows what I'm referring to. You're left leaving practice going 'What the f*** was Greg Ginn playing, and why didn't anyone laugh at him?'

"Intelligent, well-crafted lyrics such as those on 'Toy Soldiers', great song writing like that on 'Desperate Days', and excellent production by Drew Mazurek make this a disc that I would call a must-have if you're looking for what the area has to offer the punk rock world."
Music Monthly Magazine January 2005

With NATION IN DISTRESS, The Goons effectively capture the spirit of bands like Dead Kennedys and the Danzig-led Misfits. Hell, Serge even resembles Jello and Glenn a tad. Don't let the comparisons to DK and Misfits confuse you. The Goons take the essence and spirit of the bands from that era and add better production value. With this album, nothing's sacred. Serge Goon touches on everything from American excess to war and politics. If you like listening to quality punk rock that has more to do with content and passion than image, then NATION IN DISTRESS needs to find a place in your collection. These guys haven't been around since 1994 out of luck. They're great, and this Drew Mazurek-produced album furthers the band's greatness. -Dane Jackson - Skratch Magazine May, 2004