The Living End

The Living End had already released one EP (Hellbound) in Australia prior to this disc. Hellbound had been largely ignored, but that was not to be the case with It's For Your Own Good.

Equal parts punk, ska, rockabilly and straightforward rock, The Living End managed to blend styles with great success, producing anthemic choruses and memorable guitar rock. Nowhere was this more in evidence than on "From Here On In," the song that took the EP into the Australian alternative charts and itself received saturation airplay on Australian radio. The Living End also showed a rare talent for being able to transfer the energy of their live performances to their studio recordings.

"From Here On In" might be the best song on this disc, but elsewhere Chris Cheney's songwriting is just as strong, and his band's playing just as tight. "English Army" and "One More Cell" are standouts.

During live gigs, The Living End usually throw in a cover (Soft Cell's "Tainted Love" is a live favorite), and on It's For Your Own Good, they tackle the Cure's "10:15 Saturday Night" with as much energy and enthusiasm as you'd expect from one of Australia's brightest young bands. ~ Jonathan Lewis, All Music Guide