Usual Suspects are a skinhead band from Los Angeles, and Culture Class & Country is their debut LP. I hadn’t heard of them before this record, and from what I could dig up, it’s a relatively new band. Judging by the photos in the insert, they’ve got a mixed lineup with two renees in the crew – which is always a plus in my book. The album originally came out in the US in 2024 on Oi!tism Records, and a year later got a European pressing through Try And Stop Me Records, in collaboration with Oi!tism. The EU version comes on two vinyl colors and has a different cover than the US press – otherwise, it’s the same.
On the first listen, I wasn’t sure what to make of it. It took me a couple of spins to really get into it – but once it clicked, it stuck. It’s become one of those records that spends more time on my turntable than I expected.
Musically, I’d describe it as a blend of raw, old-school Oi! in the vein of Last Resort or Oxblood, with touches of punk ’82 and the occasional catchy passage. But the overall vibe stays rough and stripped-down – no frills, both in the music and vocals. The whole record is carried by a single singer, which gives it a cohesive but slightly closed-off feel. That’s probably why it takes a few listens to really sink in – it’s not a hit machine on first spin, but a record that slowly gets under your skin.
Lyrically, it sticks to classic skinhead themes: internet posers (Online Persona), daily survival (Laugh Now Cry Later, Next Generation), the skinhead lifestyle (Gather Up the Boys, Bar Crawl), personal frustration (Skinhead Blues, Personal Hell), and friendship (Friendship Song). Most of the songs carry a pretty melancholic tone throughout.
If it doesn’t grab you right away, give it time. This isn’t some polished, radio-friendly singalong – it’s honest, no-frills skinhead sound.
Top tracks: Laugh Now Cry Later, Skinhead Blues
BANDCAMP: https://usualsuspects.bandcamp.com/album/culture-class-and-country
