This is a review of "Too Little Too Late" recorded by The Dead Pets. The review was written by Tony Winter in 2002.

If you're a ska/punk moaner that keeps blaming the ska/punk scene for everything bar World War 1&2 then stop reading now and go back to slagging bands off as this is not for you. For people that are a little more open with their musical attitudes then please read on.

This little beauty came out of nowhere and landed with careful precision on my desk. "The Dead Pets", watched them a couple of months ago at The Well after having my ear chewed off by a friend of mine and wondered why I had never heard of them before. This band have been going since 1993 and after 20 members, this amazing 10 piece ska/punk band blew my proverbial socks off! Hard as fuck ska/punk mixed in with touches of Mac Lads and some healthy Oi punk! Sounds crazy, but it works so well.

"We ARE the dead pets, we have no regrets" comes rasping out of the speakers as track one "Follow Us In" is launched with full force. The band have great elements of "oi oi punk" in here too with Ramones, Dead Kennedy's definitely an influence and are happily thrown into this punk/ska melting pot for good measure. Later on in the album we uncover a darker, grittier more serious side of The Dead Pets that could easily have been born out of 80's Thatcher Britain. Some creepy samples of 70&80's northern culture at the start and end of some of the songs, mixed in with main vocalist (The Reverend) Sweeney Todds rasping voice makes this album intriguing and entirely satisfying. I'm sure if this album gets the exposure it deserves, then you will be hearing a lot more from them damn soon.

You've heard this quote before I'm sure, but do what you can to ensure that you have this album in your collection asap. You won't be disappointed. In the words of Sweeney Todd, "Welcome to the church of the Dead Pets, lets fucking rock!"