Not as shatter-likely as a ceramic, but pretty shattering to the unsuspecting ear, Connection is Ribot’s fifth free/punk trio recording: and it’s as ecstasy pushing as all the previous releases. Ribot simply can’t do half measures, and every track burns down the house. Whether it’s the yawing riff of the title track, the distortion heaven of ‘Subsidiary’ or the chest out anthem of solidarity ‘Soldiers in the Army of Love’, Ribot and his long-time pals are as in your face as ever: this band does not back down. As confrontational as it gets without actually landing one on your schnozzle.

Beneath the bang and clatter, Ceramic Dog actually compose darn good pop songs (there’s one buried deep in ‘Ecstasy’, Green Day ripped inside out), while Ches Smith speaks the thunder on the chthonic groove of ‘No Name’. There is of course so much more to Ribot than the noise machine, but who is to deny his righteous anger at a world gone to the dogs.