PRESS

> > 'machine' review from http://www.babysue.com:
So many hard rock bands are generic, boring carbon copies of one another. The gentlemen in Amsterdam's NRA provide a refreshing change of pace. When listening to Machine, it seems impossible that these guys have been at it since 1989 (?!?). What sets these guys apart from the pack are super smart catchy songs and, even more importantly, the fact that the vocalist sings (rather than screams). The band's music is somewhat reminiscent of early Stranglers. The vocalist even sounds like Hugh Cornwell at times. The tunes on Machine are short, direct, and focused. There are no unnecessary variables included in the mix here. The band's killer rhythm section supports unrelenting buzzsaw guitars...making NRA one of the best hard rock bands we've heard of late. How could anyone not love killer rockers like "Why Did I Listen To You?," "Missed My Slot," "Real Life," and "Tell Me Why"...? Killer stuff from start to finish.

> > 'machine' review from http://www.sleazegrinder.com by Paul Gaita:
Sixth go-round for veteran Dutch punks NRA is aptly titled - first song "Why Did I Listen To You" fairly busts out of your speakers like that snarling fumetti android Ranxerox from Heavy Metal and proceeds to batter you around the room for the next fifteen tracks with a potent left-right combo of boundless energy and Black Flag/Husker Du-style hooks. But also like dear old Ranx, there's a heart bristling under that leathery hide, and you can hear it beat in frontman Aziz's war-weary vocals, and in the band's relentless drive (boosted again by Dutch engineer supreme Menno Bakker), which hasn't flagged much over its fifteen-year history. Sometimes taking a punch can be the best thing you can do to clear your head, so if the armies of faceless punk outfits have you in a haze, step up to NRA and let them clean your clock. You'll thank us for it later.

> > 'machine' review by Dan McClernon:
Remember when you'd listen to a band and simply describe them as "Punk-fucking- Rock!"? Well, NRA is that band. Bringing to mind the likes of Naked Raygun and similar Midwestern powerhouses, these European veterans take no prisoners on Machine. From the initial onslaught of "Why Did I Listen to You?," to the brilliant "I Missed My Slot," the band delivers one delectable hit after the next. Raw yet melodic, guitar-driven Punk, with a vocalist who sounds like an older version of Kody of the Lillingtons, NRA has been kicking around far too long to go unnoticed up until now. Thanks to Gearhead, hopefully that problem will be rectified.

> > 'machine' review from http://www.thecutting-edge.net:
Amsterdam's veteran rockers NRA prove punk isn't just a young man's game. At it since 1989, the gutsy four-some illuminate energetic, heart stopping ditties in much the same way as their US comrades The Lazy Cowgirls. Packing catchy hooks, memorable choruses and clever/funny lyrics keeps the band charming and addicting. Made for radio "N28" has a slight Green Day feel to it complete with grinding riffs and should be the next FM hit. "Missed my Slot" which sounds a lot like "Missed My Slut" takes a humerous spin depending on how you hear it.
11 out the sixteen songs on Machine finish under 2-minutes keeping the pace anxious and power-packed yet, NRA keeps it interesting with the occasional tempo change. "Shot One" snags a bass-easy groove with the drums upfront while "Machine" finds its voice in a steady guitar grumble. The frantic "Bang Bang", "Knife" and intro track "Why Did I Listen to You" fall in line as Ramones' tributes with vocalist Rziz's barnstorming baritone. Reviewer favorites include the erratic "Lines" with big, beefy open chords, the garage-centered "Wasted My Life" with its Smithereens edge and the hammerhead "Friend". Essential.

> > 'machine' review from http://www.highbias.com:
Dutch punk band NRA has finally released Machine in the states and it is much worth the wait. The disk is crammed with energetic and loud punk rock. With over 15 years in the business, the title seems like a natural fit: the band burns through the disk with machine-like precision and unrelenting power. It would be hard for any of their contemporaries to keep the pace with NRA, age be damned. It's difficult to form an opinion on any one song because the pace of the record is so brisk, with each tune exploding before the last one ends. Maybe my ear for punk has softened over the years, but it's been a while since I have listened to a band like this and I loved it.

> > 'machine' review by Roger Moser, Jr:
For the past couple of years, I've been mightily impressed whenever an NRA song happened to cross paths with my ears via one compilation or another. So I'm understandably excited beyond belief (peein'-in-my- pants excited, if you must know!) that the fine folks at Gearhead Records sent this latest sonically priceless NRA escapade to me. Machine is absolutely bursting at the seams with crunchy blur-speed power chords, brash I-don't-care-about-anything vocals, and a steady rumbling backdrop ruckus of bruising topsy-turvy bass riffs and gigantic dinosaur-stomp drumbeats. It's bouncy good-time Rock n' Roll with a riveting pinch of infectious '70s-style Power Pop melodies and enough of a Ramonesy spraypaint-huffin' Punk edge to make it slightly dangerous. All in all, it's the youthfully upbeat sound of an era when t-top Camaros, pinball machines (hence the title, perhaps), ripped jeans, faded concert t-shirts, denim jackets, Budweiser beer, and smiley-face bongs were king. So crank up the NRA, and have a nice day, damn it!

> > reflection on hearing 'why did i listen to you' from http://www.3voor12.nl:
Miguel: "NRA is voor mij de beste band van Nederland. Ze maken echt goede liedjes die een hele goede balans houden tussen pop en oude hardcore/ punk. Je kunt aan de nummers horen dat deze gasten de kasten vol hebben staan met obscure klassiekers uit alle windstreken. Hun laatste drie platen vind ik echt ijzersterk en 'Leaded' is naar mijn idee de beste punkrock plaat van Nederlandse bodem. Ik heb die lp helemaal kapot gedraaid. Machine is ten opzichte van het wat gevarieerdere New Recovery wat meer een stap terug naar de roots, vind ik. Dit nummer is daar een treffend voorbeeld van. Korte, puntige liedje in de traditie van bijvoorbeeld de Ramones en de Angry Samoans. Het klinkt allemaal zo simpel, maar schrijf maar eens zo'n partij pakkende nummers, dat valt nog vies tegen. Hoe een volgende plaat moet klinken? Dat weet de band waarschijnlijk zelf het beste. Ik kan alleen zeggen dat ik hoop op wederom zo'n uitgebalanceerde verzameling pakkende liedjes."

> > 'machine' review from OX fanzine:
Das nennt man wohl einen Spatzunder: Erst jetzt, passend zum Auftritt bei der Musikmesse SXSW in Austin, Texas, erscheint das letzte Album der Hollander NRA auch in den USA, wie der Vorganger auf Gearhead. Okay, in Europa ist die Platte schon seit zwei Jahren raus, aber die Wege und Entscheidungen von Labels sind manchmal unergrundlich, und so ist "Machine" in den USA eben erst jetzt erhaltlich. Der Musik hier tut das keinen Abbruch, ich freue mich schon auf das nachste Album der eigenstandigen, eigenwilligen Punk- Formation um Frontmann Aziz und nutze die Gelegenheit, Band wie Album nur jedem ans Herz zu legen. (Copyright by OX-FANZINE und Joachim Hiller)

> > 'machine' review from http://www.sonicwavemagazine.com:
Incombustible podria ser el mejor calificativo para designar a los holandeses NRA. Por ellos no pasan los anos, aunque si las arrugas, inevitablemente. Desde el ano 1989, y fieles a un sonido que les ha marcado por su fidelidad y teson, vienen produciendo pildarazos de punk rock adrenalitico y pegadizo. No varian nada del esquema con el que comenzaron, han sabido adaptarse a los tiempos y crear una legion de fans fieles que les han seguido por las diversas companias que han pasado. A principios de 2005, Gearhead Records se encargaba de poner en circulacion los nuevos temas de la banda de Amsterdam. Fraguando un sonido propio que recorre parametros tan amplios como las referencias a bandas de pelaje tan dispar como Descendents, Dagnasty, Bad Religion o Ramones.