Tony Sly - You Will Be Missed

Rest in Peace Tony Sly! Your death has saddened us all and you will be truly missed. Your music will live on forever.

From 2010, I wrote about this wonderful band and speculated on their legacy...

Felt like writing again and what better way to get back into it than writing about the brilliance of NUFAN. See, the thing is, it's not just one album or one song, it's the body of work. Punk rock work! I've heard comments about changes in their style, the vocals have mellowed, not quite as hard as they once were, but if you simply stop and listen to the entire catalog, you can really appreciate a great American punk rock band.

I wonder if they fly under the radar on purpose? Does it just happen that way? Is it that they consistently deliver quality music and therefore after a while, get taken for granted? I am not saying that they are not appreciated, but there is a sense of a quiet, respectful appreciation and this perception of "hey, yeah, they are a pretty good band". Whatever it is, this is a free speech platform to add commentary on any topic and I, for one, feel compelled to write about the most harmonious punk band that has ever existed!

That's it, no magic secret, no hidden meaning, it's the way that No Use For A Name delivers harmony.

I have a boatload of NUFAN on my iPod and I'll come across a track that perhaps hasn't made it to the top of the Shuffle and I'll get goosebumps over the power of the particular harmony. It's usually Tony plus some background bandmates singing and it often times leaves me awestruck. How often can you say that about a band or a song? I know I don't use that term loosely, but it's the truth. Go back and listen to the chorus of "Domino", "Angela" or "Chasing Rainbows" and listen with a more critical ear. Don't simply settle for "yeah, it's pretty good", really listen, see if you hear something new or something that you find inspiring. I suspect that you will! Again, I'll go back to where I started, I think there is something about NUFAN that people don't get. Or maybe they got it and have since forgotten about it.

There music is after all, punk. Not punk by today's radio friendly standard where any kid with a little eye liner, a decent comb over and a guitar can get signed, provided their band name meets the major label standard for meaninglessness (is that a word?). Not besmirching that stuff, if it floats your boat, good for you, but that is not punk, nor is it No Use For A Name. This is no frills, ear pleasing, good 'ol punk rock. It's the stuff that no label will take notice of, radio stations could care less about and rock critics will generally ignore figuring that they have heard this before. It's dismissive, that's the word that's been escaping me. It's easy to dismiss this band and say that they are pretty good and leave it at that. I don't know NUFAN personally, and I don't think anyone of them is staying up late, worrying about perceptions and I don't think there is some great anti-NUFAN conspiracy, but I do believe that their legacy is far to under-appreciated.

It does happen sometimes that bands are not recognized for their impact and their body of work until there is no new music coming from them. I think you can apply that to some respected acts like Misfits (Danzig era), Rocket From The Crypt and The Accused. Sure, they were appreciated for doing something new and revolutionary while they were doing it, but it wasn't until they broke up that everybody stood up and cried, "I loved them, I always have and I always new they were special".

I will not call NUFAN revolutionary and I'm not saying that Tony Sly is the second coming of Glenn Danzig, but can we all just agree that NUFAN's legacy (still unfolding) is solid? Come on, after all "I love them, I always have and I always new they were special".

No Use For A Name - Punk Rock Misfits?

Felt like writing again and what better way to get back into it than writing about the brilliance of NUFAN. See, the thing is, it's not just one album or one song, it's the body of work. Punk rock work! I've heard comments about changes in their style, the vocals have mellowed, not quite as hard as they once were, but if you simply stop and listen to the entire catalog, you can really appreciate a great American punk rock band.

I wonder if they fly under the radar on purpose? Does it just happen that way? Is it that they consistently deliver quality music and therefore after a while, get taken for granted? I am not saying that they are not appreciated, but there is a sense of a quiet, respectful appreciation and this perception of "hey, yeah, they are a pretty good band". Whatever it is, this is a free speech platform to add commentary on any topic and I, for one, feel compelled to write about the most harmonious punk band that has ever existed!

That's it, no magic secret, no hidden meaning, it's the way that No Use For A Name delivers harmony.

I have a boatload of NUFAN on my iPod and I'll come across a track that perhaps hasn't made it to the top of the Shuffle and I'll get goosebumps over the power of the particular harmony. It's usually Tony plus some background bandmates singing and it often times leaves me awestruck. How often can you say that about a band or a song? I know I don't use that term loosely, but it's the truth. Go back and listen to the chorus of "Domino", "Angela" or "Chasing Rainbows" and listen with a more critical ear. Don't simply settle for "yeah, it's pretty good", really listen, see if you hear something new or something that you find inspiring. I suspect that you will! Again, I'll go back to where I started, I think there is something about NUFAN that people don't get. Or maybe they got it and have since forgotten about it.

There music is after all, punk. Not punk by today's radio friendly standard where any kid with a little eye liner, a decent comb over and a guitar can get signed, provided their band name meets the major label standard for meaninglessness (is that a word?). Not besmirching that stuff, if it floats your boat, good for you, but that is not punk, nor is it No Use For A Name. This is no frills, ear pleasing, good 'ol punk rock. It's the stuff that no label will take notice of, radio stations could care less about and rock critics will generally ignore figuring that they have heard this before. It's dismissive, that's the word that's been escaping me. It's easy to dismiss this band and say that they are pretty good and leave it at that. I don't know NUFAN personally, and I don't think anyone of them is staying up late, worrying about perceptions and I don't think there is some great anti-NUFAN conspiracy, but I do believe that their legacy is far to under-appreciated.

It does happen sometimes that bands are not recognized for their impact and their body of work until there is no new music coming from them. I think you can apply that to some respected acts like Misfits (Danzig era), Rocket From The Crypt and The Accused. Sure, they were appreciated for doing something new and revolutionary while they were doing it, but it wasn't until they broke up that everybody stood up and cried, "I loved them, I always have and I always new they were special".

I will not call NUFAN revolutionary and I'm not saying that Tony Sly is the second coming of Glenn Danzig, but can we all just agree that NUFAN's legacy (still unfolding) is solid? Come on, after all "I love them, I always have and I always new they were special".

Nothington Roads, Bridges and Ruins Review

I looked at a bunch of "Best of 2009" punk lists over the past month or so. Nowhere did I see this release and that is a pity! I saw lists chocked full of Strike Anywhere, Polar Bear Club and The Swellers. Each of which is absolutely deserving! This release also truly merits the recognition as one of the best punk albums of 2009.

I never heard much Tsunami Bomb when they were around, but after hearing this release it makes me want to revisit all of Jay Nothington's work. From the first chord, "Roads, Bridges and Ruins" had me completely fixated. Maybe it's the similarity between Jay's voice and that of Leatherface front man Frankie Stubbs. It's no secret, I love Leatherface and think their "Mush" release is a true punk classic! The vocal style of Jay is gruff, strained, yet beautiful. Much like Leatherface, Nothington is working mans punk. It's stripped down, low tech and completely passionate. "A Mistake" is an excellent opener and it takes about 20 seconds for the listener to figure out that this band knows exactly who they are. It's truly an immediately memorable track. "Another Day" is another standout. Kind of Social Distortion-esque, it's mid-paced, up tempo punk rock.

My favorite track on the entire release is "Not Looking Down", it reminds me of some early Lawrence Arms. It's a melodic punk track and one that showcases the bands ability to craft a most complete song. There are no clunkers on this release, each track is solid, with good supporting background vocals and a variety of punk paces.

After having finished the album, I immediately thought back to the first time I heard "24 Hour Revenge Therapy" by Jawbreaker. That was a raw, rough and emotion-laden album from beginning to end. I feel the same description works for Nothington, some 16 years later! There is just a vibe and feel to Bay Area punk rock, both then and now. The band has just embarked on a tour of both North America and Europe. In this era of punk, touring has never been more important to a bands ability to distinguish themselves from the rest of the din. I wish them nothing but success in that effort.

Drive Like Jehu Review

Felt like doing a revisionist history update to this post from late last year. As I hear more and more of what is going on in the post-punk world, I simply feel compelled to tell that world about this little outfit from San Diego. Maybe it's because I have now worn out my copy of Obits "I Blame You", perhaps that makes me want to revisit DLJ. Who knows? But, what I do know is that Drive Like Jehu were the original authors of this novella that blends sonic dissonance and melody.

When homage is paid to originators of "noise rock" alternative music from the 90's, the list usually comprises bands like Sonic Youth, The Jesus Lizard, Melvins, Six Finger Satellite and Neurosis. DLJ is often conspicuously absent from the list, and that is a shame. While those bands, and DLJ alike are not traditionally classified as punk, their music was filled with atonality and lacked traditional structures found in much of rock music of the day. By that criteria, were they not punk...? Different post for a different day, but for now, the influence that Drive Like Jehu has had on bands of the 00's is clear. Funny thing, I bet many of them don't even recognize that! What is also interesting is in revisiting this topic, it reminds me of the wealth of talent found in San Diego in the early 90's. Unsung, unheralded, under-appreciated punk, noise rock and alternative from bands like Aminiature, Tanner, Creedle, Three Mile Pilot, Inch, Unwritten Law and Boilermaker. These names may not mean much to a punk music fan of today, and it's near impossible to measure their influence, but their importance is true.

So, from October 2008, here comes Punk Mecca's assertion that Drive Like Jehu produced the progeny of post-hardcore.

Hardcore and punk underwent an amazing transformation in 1991. Emo, Screamo, Post-Hardcore owe a tremendous debt to the band Drive Like Jehu, who released their self-titled debut on Headhunter Records. Punk rock would never be the same.

In retrospect, it's hard to not call this a punk rock supergroup. With this pedigree, it's no wonder this band and specifically, this album would have such wide influence. Check out three of the members:

John Reis (aka. Speedo): Rocket From The Crypt, Hot Snakes, Pitchfork, The Night Marchers, Owner Swami Records and all-around punk rock hero.

Rick Froberg: Hot Snakes, Obits and author of Chapter 1 of "Screamo 101: A Lesson in Vocals". (note: can't wait for the Obits debut next year on Sub Pop!!!) (12/08/09 note: it's out, it's good, enough said).

Mark Trombino: Night Soil Man, Aminiature, punk rock producer to the stars...Jimmy Eat World, Finch, Silverstein, Blink-182.

A digression: In the early 90's the San Diego alternative scene was loaded! But the three bands that in my opinion had a large influence on the screamo and hardcore of today are these peers of DLJ...Night Soil Man, Three Mile Pilot and Truman's Water. Each was known for their own brand of sonic dissonance; they each shaped the future of punk, and rock in general, with their aggressive, dirty, yet technical music.

Back to our featured artist Drive Like Jehu. The complexity of this music, to this day, leaves me awestruck. It's beautiful, rich, well thought out and well executed. "Caress" starts the album off. It builds to a crescendo and while other tracks meander from the beautiful to the extreme, "Caress" is relentless from beginning to end. Next up is the quick blast "Spikes To You". The shortest song on the album, but by no means the simplest. How do you describe the guitar sound of Drive Like Jehu? It's "off" in a way, no disrespect, it's what makes it amazing. It's almost like they use their dueling guitar lines to create some sort of mismatched harmony. It works perfectly on "Spikes". John Reis leads the way on "Step on Chameleon", a bit of a slower, sludgy track with those patented overlaying guitars. "Step on Chameleon" features some nice Rocket From The Crypt harmony and is a personal fave. "O Pencil Sharp" is a nine minute epic that captures the entire Drive Like Jehu experience. It slowly builds into a single guitar led melody and then into a mid-paced, somewhat somber progression. At around the 5 minute mark, the deluge that is Drive Like Jehu starts. Manic, pulsing, strained solos, complex percussion, it's got it all. As quickly as the deluge starts, you wander back into the darkness that began the track... and so it ends. It's a track like that, that often can be the measurement of a band, but how well they can take the song from record to the stage is the real test. From personal experience, Drive Like Jehu were able to precisely capture "O Pencil Sharp" note for tenuous note in a live setting. "Atom Jack" would fit in quite well amongst the Emo and Screamo of today and is probably the most structured of all the tracks. "If It Kills You" is a study in tonal instability. The pain sensed in Rick's voice is palpable but ultimately outdone by the guitar and bass work on this post-hardcore forebear. This track, along with a few others, feels at times like an instrumental. It wanders off in a direction for a few minutes and it's a wonderful journey. "Good Luck In Jail" is simply a really cool punk / alternative rock song. It's Melvins-esque and it's a treat! "Turn It Off" could have easily been written in 2006 and may well have influence outside of punk (Killers, Modest Mouse, etc.). This classic, noisy album wraps up with "Future Home of Stucco Monstrosity". "Wall of Sound" jumps to mind as a simple way to sum up this tune and probably is a fitting description for the work as a whole.

I know there are Drive Like Jehu fans out there that count this record as one of the best of the punk or hardcore genre, count me amongst that group!

There was a song in the 80's called "Video Killed The Radio Star". Sadly, we could probably say "Major Label Killed the Punk Rock Star" for this band and bunches of others. While there are always many contributing factors to a bands finish, in this particular case, I can't help but wonder what would have happened if Drive Like Jehu had stayed on some small, high quality San Diego indie label? I'd like to think that "Yank Crime" would be just the second in a long line future masterpieces! But hey, good news for all of us, the three main men continue to release and influence a tremendous amount of good quality, true to themselves punk.

Teenage Bottlerocket They Came From The Shadows Review

You know, reviews at Punk Mecca are like total solar eclipses...if they occurred more frequently they wouldn't be nearly as special!

Straight outta Wyoming comes our punk rock savior! Folks, let me tell you, this is something special and a real turning point for the genre. Nobody is making music like this today, seriously, nobody! This is raw, unpretentious, stripped down, funny, sarcastic, pulsating rock and it's going to turn music upside down! In an age of over produced, comb thy hair over thy right eye, stupid long song titles and image control, TBR takes us all back to a simpler time and reminds us all why we like this music in the first place. It's not the packaging, it's the sound and performance. God bless TBR!!!

This review will be fun to write. Let's be honest, skate punk is about the most under appreciated sub-genre in punk, going back for many, many years. Sure, there have been some great releases from all kinds of bands like Boneless Ones, Excel, Suicidal, Aggression, Ill Repute, JFA, etc. But all of those are at least 20+ years old. It's not that Teenage Bottlerocket's "They Came From The Shadows" is all about skate punk, but it's certainly rooted there and more than any other release of the genre, it's marries pure aggression with clever writing and "don't care if this offends you" lyrics.

Teenage Bottlerocket's "They Came From The Shadows", released on Fat Wreck Chords, is pure, simple, polished music. I think I love it for its simplicity on every level. It's packaging is simple, there's a no frills approach to the artwork and they even apply simplicity to the amount of silence between tracks. (eg. not much) How cool is that!

"Skate or Die" starts off the frenzied, harrowing paced skate rock. It's an instant classic, sort of reminds of "Skate For The Devil" by Boneless Ones or "Possessed To Skate" by Suicidal Tendencies. How can you not reminisce when listening to tracks like this? It's kind of old school. When was the last time you thought about the Bones Brigade? OK, there's some of you who will say "what the hell is Bones Brigade"? Those who know, know and are smiling.

While there is most definitely a TBR sound, there is still a great deal of depth on this release. The tracks ramble between mid-paced punk a la Alkaline Trio like on "Call In Sick" and "Without You" to more hyper-paced stuff likened to 7 Seconds on "Fatso Goes Nutzoid". You'll here Ramones, Black Flag, Misfits, Circle Jerks sounds on "They Came From The Shadows" and it's all respectful. The album closes with TBR's own "Bro Hymn" with "Todayo", a track that invites the listener to start it all over again.

This band clearly does not take itself too seriously and not since NoFX has a band come along that you can't help but laugh out loud when you hear some of the lyrics. NoFX has "Eddie, Bruce and Paul" a great take on the history of Iron Maiden. TBR counters with "Bigger Than Kiss", which references a handful of Kiss album titles and other Kiss fodder. "Ace Frehley can play guitar, but he ain't know fucking Kerry King". Awesome, you can't make this stuff up!

Like I said at the outset, this was indeed fun to write. If you are looking for some great American punk, loaded with melodies and harmonies, stinging guitar lines, head bopping music, you cannot go wrong with this one! About to embark on a short West Coast tour with label mates, Lawrence Arms, Teenage Bottlerocket are poised for simple success that comes from knowing who they are as a band, sticking to their roots and consistently delivering great music. (Authors Note: Every attempt was made to honor the bands simplicity in the brevity and crisp spirit of this review.)

Go grab it at iTunes

or Amazon

The Swellers Ups and Downsizing Review

Wow, quite the day for rock music! New stuff dropped from AFI, Paramore, Strung Out, Evergreen Terrace, It Dies Today, Hatebreed and Flint Michigan's The Swellers. It was an easy choice deciding which release I would write about first.

It's no secret that I have been a huge fan of this band for a long time. See the review of their last opus. A while after "My Everest" came out, I started to wonder out loud, "someone is paying attention and is going to grab them away from Search and Rescue records, right?" I kept thinking, what am I missing or more appropriately, what are these record labels missing? Well, fortunately the nice folks over at Fueled By Ramen were paying attention and snapped them up earlier this year. Over time, I suspect we will all look back and say "what a coup". I don't know if they have good artist management or if the label is simply really smart, but putting them out on the road as support for Paramore is brilliant. That Paramore release ("Brand New Eyes") is going to be huge, and playing mid-size theatres for the next few months will introduce legions of Haley fans to a really good, hard working and genuine punk band!

The Swellers "Ups and Downsizing" starts with a great opener! "2009" is a great melodic punk opening track, reminds me of the start of No Use For A Name's "Not Your Savior" kicking off "More Betterness". I rarely do this when I listen to a release the first time, but I had to go back and listen to that track a couple of times before moving on to the bands first single, "Fire Away". Yes, it's that good. "Fire Away" is very complex and quite mature. It's the song where I first remarked at how strong that Nick Diener's voice has become. I have long thought that he had a good punk voice, but on this track, and really the whole album, it's clear that Nick has developed some serious strength in that voice. "Load up the flares and fire away"!!! Way to announce that The Swellers have arrived and hey everyone, take notice!

"Ups and Downsizing" continues with "Sleeper", one of the more pop-punk tracks. It's very accessible, mid-paced and easily memorable. I had heard "Welcome Back Riders" off their 7 inch, so I was familiar with this track and it is another strong track with rich melodies and it's heartfelt sentiment.

Then we come to "Feet First". The subtlety in Nick's voice is impressive as this track starts off like a whisper and builds to a crushing melodic hardcore pinnacle. It's probably not likely to be their next single, but it's such a strong song that I think it would do quite well. "Do You Feel Better Yet?", hey wait, I just figured it out. The Swellers sound very similar to one of my most favorite, under appreciated acts, Israel's Useless ID. Both vocally and melodically "Do You Feel Better Yet?" and several other tracks could easily be found on that groups amazing "Redemption" release. That was a great melodic hardcore album from start to finish and "Ups and Downsizing" is equal to it, actually, it surpasses it!

Not sure that the word "darker" should be used to describe a punk song, but it somehow fits for "Ups and Downsizing". It's kind of has this dark vibe, melodically. Maybe it's lyrics that speak of leaving, thawing, or that "should I stay or should I go now" type of sentiment leaves me with that darker impression. It's one of the "slower" tracks on the album, and might disappoint some of the fans of their earlier hyper-paced stuff. For me though it's a pretty strong tune as we start to head toward the finish of this album.

Fear not, hyper-paced fans, you will have your cake and eat it too on "The Iron". Another great track and one that once again, showcases the depth to Nick Diener's vocals. He's not Tim McIlrath (yet...), but he is a very strong punk vocalist as is shown on "The Iron".

"Watch It Go" sums up The Swellers in one single song with it's tempo changes and its natural sing-along quality. "Stars" starts off with some beautiful acoustic guitar and then leads into one of their more "moodier" melodies. It's The Swellers own "My Hero" and it's brilliant! "Dirt" finishes off one of the best rock records of 2009! It's dark and complex and a little sad, but musically it's filled with that Swellers "speed up / slow down" heartfelt approach to song writing.

Faultless harmonies abound on this entire album. It's tight musically! Each member does their own part very well and then they come together very easily. This is what punk rock should sound like in 2009!

Likeability should not enter into an opinion on someones art, but be real, it does! The art of The Swellers is excellent, but maybe I appreciate it so much, because they seem like real, (hate using this term) "down to earth", hard working but have fun, kind of guys. You can't help but want for them to thrive and succeed. Well, they certainly have on this record. They have done right by themselves and by their fans with the outstanding work on "Ups and Downsizing". It's true that what you get in return is always equal to what you put out there. Based upon this effort, The Swellers should prepare for more betterness!

Go grab it at iTunes

or it's on sale at FYE

Best Punk Albums of the 90's

I promised to write about the heritage and the contemporary, but haven't done too much of the old stuff lately. That's about to change.

This is my list of top 10 (OK, it's really 12) punk albums released during the 1990's. To be sure, Rancid, Green Day, Blink-182 and The Offspring released some epic work during that decade, but we already know that. This list is comprised of some great work by some punk rock stalwarts, some lesser known acts and in some cases not necessarily the most popular of a specific bands albums during the decade.

I was writing a lot about rock music in the 90's and heard some great stuff, but these are some releases that simply are flawless from beginning to end! As always, I hope to get some "oh really?", "oh yeah!" and "he's clearly on drugs!", but hey enjoy this 90's heritage!

The Best Punk Albums of the 90's:

12. Face To Face - Big Choice. OK, so when you hear a Face To Face song, you know it's a Face To Face song! Yes, there is a pattern there. But hey it totally works and while this release may not be their most mature, it certainly is their most raw and intense and holds up well some 15 years later!

11. Sick Of It All - Built To Last. As I reflect, why am I having such a hard time coming up with great hardcore 90's releases? I know there were there, right? Madball, AF, H2O, Leeway, etc. But as I really think of it, a lot of great stuff came out in the late 80's or even in this decade. So, only one true hardcore release made it onto the list and that is the 1997 release from SOIA. Lou Koller's voice never sounded better than on this, their final major label, release. This is a true NYHC expression and is as "clenched fist" as it ever was!

10. Bad Religion - Recipe For Hate. This might not be the first choice for most BR fans as they put out six records during that decade. And I still have some issues with the production quality, but that aside, it's a pretty amazing blaze-through of short blasts of Left Coast punk rawk anger! It's relentless! They were truly "Men On A Mission" and somebody was paying attention to how high this record went up the charts and sadly signed them to a major...creating a few years of less than stellar efforts. But, hey like a phoenix rising they are back. I kind of look at BR like I do Metallica. With both bands, there was about 10 years where I'd rather forget some of their music. Just my opinion, but hey they both recovered nicely with their recent efforts!

9. Pennywise - Pennywise. Who knew that Jim Lindbergh would become the renaissance man that he is now, what with being an author and all! This first record was like a shot from a blast furnace. Pure CA hardcore stylings. I have always used the word "tight" to describe this band and on their debut it's more than fitting. He may now be a punk rock dad, but he'll always be that angry kid singin' "Bro Hymn" on this 1991 classic!

8. Good Riddance - Operation Phoenix. I wasn't really writing much in 1999 when this CD came across my desk. I listened to it, felt nothing and proceeded to bury it under a pile of mediocre punk and alternative stuff. Somehow, I can't remember now, I unearthed it just a few weeks later. I listened to it again and was blown away. Kind of like I'd never hear this before. (Note: exact same thing happened with Rise Against a few years ago. Listened to 'Siren...', put it away for a few months this time, then tried it again and realized how much I'd been missing). I am not sure that in punk, anyone did melodic hardcore better than this Santa Cruz outfit. At times it's anger, it's always political and social and it's one of those records that I listen to and say "don't change a fucking thing"! Sorry for the f-word, but I just heard "Heresy, Hypocrisy & Revenge", love that line from "Some Kind Of Wonderful". "Letters Home" ranks in my top 10 of all time great punk songs, any decade!!!

7. No Use For A Name - Leche Con Carne. I was late to this NUFAN train, but once I got on, I was committed! Love or hate the melodic direction they have gone in during the 00's, this release was an instant classic. For one of the most prolific punk bands (ever!!!), this ranks at the top of the list of a series of excellent punk records that have marked their ongoing, stellar career. "Fatal Flu", "Soulmate", "Fields of Agony", "Alone", man, come on!!! Pure brilliance!

6. Millencolin - Pennybridge Pioneers. Jumping across the pond for the next three on our list, we find Sweden's Millencolin. Hey, it was recorded in 1999, so it counts! This is one of those records that just keeps building and building. At first listen, I thought "yeah, it's solid". But after 3, 4, 10 listens I found myself wanting to simply push repeat! It's humorous, melodic, aggressive, it's simply great. For me, the Swedes will be known for three things: building sturdy cars, inventing death metal and Millencolin!

5. No Fun At All - The Big Knockover. My buddy Marco told me about this band on little Theologian Records. I was blown away from the first chord. Sure, comparisons to Bad Religion were inevitable, but NFAA was so much more. They brought a freshness to melodic hardcore music. Must be something in that Swedish water, as this is some pretty amazing stuff, from an otherwise punk-rock-barren land. "The Other Side" is also a track that remains in my top 10 of all time. I don't think NFAA ever got the respect and street cred that others did during the 90's, but I certainly will fight to change that. This is amazing stuff. If you are (were) a fan of NoFX, NUFAN, Green Day, Face To Face, etc., then check out this far to under-sung band!

4. Leatherface - Mush. I guess this rounds out the European portion of our list! From Sunderland, England comes Leatherface. Released on tiny Seed Recordings (in the US), this is a working class, melodic punk classic! Frankie Stubbs voice is so strained and yet so perfect! If you only had 99 cents and you wanted to expose yourself to Leatherface, go grab "Bowl of Flies" from iTunes. Trust me, it's worth it and I'd bet anything that you pony up some more scratch for the other 14 songs.

3. Rocket From The Crypt - Circa: Now!. Punk you say? Oh yeah! I know RFTC has a big cult following, they kind of single-handedly made garage punk cool! So this might not be a surprise to see this one on the list. But there are two certainties in life. This is by far their best work and to this day, they are (were) the best live band ever! Any genre, they were absolutely the best, most energetic, tightest and fun to watch! I've seen thousands of bands perform, but I've seen RFTC about 15 times and they are just a pure joy to witness. While they will have to remain in memory, "Circa: Now!" leaves us a good marker on their history. (Note: best show ever was the Halloween gig at some San Diego hotel ballroom circa 1993). I missed their farewell Halloween show in 2005 and hope that someday they decide to re-form, even if for only one night!

2. Jawbreaker - Dear You. I loved "24 Hour Revenge Therapy" and it certainly possessed a more raw, distorted quality than this more polished release. But, that album needed a few more years under its belt, maybe a little maturity. No worries, when the band got picked up by DGC and put out "Dear You" they proved to the world that they had arrived and left an indelible mark on punk rock of today! I can't think of many indie to major label punk transitions that actually worked. But this one did. "Save Your Generation" would fit nicely on a contemporary punk release, as would "Oyster" "Fireman" and "Chemistry". Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, so consider Jawbreaker flattered. You can hear so much of their sound in what is going on today in punk and that's pretty impressive since the band only existed for a very brief time and left us with only 4 recordings. This was a tough one by the way. I know that "Dookie" is often at the top of a 90's punk list, but I wanted to go a little deeper in the genre. Having said that, I know many people consider the number one record (see below) to be sacred, but this was indeed a close second, maybe even more like a tie!

1. NoFX - Punk In Drublic. Can I add anything that has not already been said? Who knows, but here goes. From the opening chords of "Linoleum" to the end of "Scavenger Type", this release is pure brilliance. It's funny, hyper, genre-crossing, solid! Spanning hyper-paced punk to dancehall, dub and reggae, it's one of those rare releases that can do that genre hopping naturally. It all works together. You finish listening to "Dig" and say "holy crap, that was amazing" then you are rewarded with a mid-paced tune like "Happy Guy", only to be smashed across the face with the pure intensity of "Perfect Government". This band has had a truly prolific career and this release marks their own high water mark. We can probably count on two hands the number of gold certified punk releases, especially those on indie labels like Epitaph. This is one of those gold records and its well deserved. It's timeless and it's a classic!

So, there you have it. Some honorable mentions that I feel I should give respect to: AFI - Black Sails In The Sunset, Bracket - 4 Wheel Vibe, H2O - Thicker Than Water, Madball - Look My Way and RKL - Rags To Riches.

Set Your Goals This Will Be The Death Of Us Review

I love writing about music, always have. I think at times I apply a healthy amount of creativity and ingenuity to describing what I hear. But sometimes, I just need to strip it all down and say "this record is fucking brilliant!".

So, this record is fucking brilliant! Go ahead Epitaph Records and Set Your Goals, use that in your next bio or promotional piece! But, it truly is brilliant, what else can be said that can give the reader a sense of this amazing punk release. Well, lots, so here goes...

My feelings about this record are very much the same as the first time I heard "Dear You" by Jawbreaker. I knew right away that it was special and that it was going to be one of my all time favorites. To this day, "Dear You" ranks in my top 10 of punk releases and I suspect had a bit of influence on their fellow SF brethren SYG! Why is this album so special? Because it's got intricacy in all aspects of the music and voice. Intricate can be used to describe the background vocals, guitar lines, solos, lead singing and most certainly the percussion. This is pop-punk, but it's pop-punk with some teeth and depth to it. That's almost a disservice to call it pop-punk, it's probably more simply described as general punk with a wealth of influences from other genres. Believe it or not, you will hear melodic death metal and even some thrash in some of the tracks on "This Will Be The Death Of Us". To be clear, while you'll hear some Blink-182 influences, there is a harder edge to it. I guess on the punk spectrum, I would say it's closer to Rise Against than say All Time Low.

Let's begin at the beginning. I'm not one who easily falls for curb appeal, but in this case, I did. The packaging is great. The artwork itself, made me want to grab the record. Again, there's that intricacy to the artwork and overall design that I find captivating. I know, I know...intricacy and captivating, we're talking about punk, right? Yes, but this is thinking mans punk and it works!

The next thing that I really appreciated were the vocals; both lead and the gang background style vocals on the tracks. At first, I wasn't sure that I actually liked Matt Wilson's voice. It's kind of unique, in a Kevin Seconds sort of a way. When I first heard "Regress No Way", I was intrigued by the vocals and to this day KS is one of the best punk voices, ever! With Matt Wilson, I kind of thought the same thing but then I started to hear the range and rage and started to think I was listening to some vintage Zach De La Rosa. Go listen to "Gaia Bleeds" and tell me you're not thinking "Bulls on Parade". Yes, imitation is the highest form of flattery, but Matt does not imitate, he has created a great punk vocal experience on this record. Highlighting Matt's voice is by no means intended as disrespect to the other vocalist, Jordan Brown. He is solid as well, there is just something old-school about Matt's voice that pleases the ear!

Seems like there's a resurgence of hardcore background vocals on many a punk releases these days. Kind of like you are listening to a kinder gentler Madball or Cro-Mags, but with some seriously strong background voices. The new New Found Glory record does a lot of over-the-top vocals on several of their tracks. It kind of works in my mind and I appreciate what Hoppus and NFG were trying to do, but what really works on the SYG record is the solid and natural fit of the other band members group vocals. I don't think I remember or remark on many bands supporting cast voices, but this groups do stand out!

Then there is the guitar. In Flames made a hell of a career out of overlaying a strong guitar solo-like line on top of the songs melody. And as a result, they were true pioneers in melodic death metal. SYG achieves that same greatness, but on a punk release. It's very clever; how I can be listening to a track and totally focus on that guitar line, while still appreciating everything else that is going on in the song? Not sure, but it happens.

In general, the musicianship from these Bay Area lads is excellent. I'll give a special shout-out to Michael Ambrose. His drumming is phenomenal and reminds me a bit of some of the ground breaking stuff we heard from Travis Barker on the self titled Blink 182 release. "Gaia Bleeds" and the title track are two standout tracks where Mikey shines!

So, guess what children, I really like this record. It's a complete package. Punk, melodies, aggression, hardcore stylings, outstanding production, creativity, lyrics you actually want to read, everything. Well done! For a band that is becoming legendary in their touring efforts, it's nice to see those efforts rewarded with the full support of a great record label and management that has booked one of the summers best tours! Absolutely run out and see "The Gig Life" tour when it comes to your town. SYG is headlining, but you will see two other very strong, up and coming punk bands in Worcester's own Four Year Strong and Michigan's The Swellers. Side note: kudos to the talent department over at Fueled By Ramen. Signing The Swellers was brilliant (no I won't use another f-bomb here, I have a two f-bomb limit) and I hope they get the same kind of label support that Epitaph is giving SYG. I know they will!

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THE WORLD WE KNEW To The Wolves Review

From Long Island comes The World We Knew. "Maturity" is the first word that comes to mind as I finished listening to the release for the second time. While TWWK has only been around for about 5 years or so, there is a certain maturity to both their music and their songwriting.

I did not hear 2007's "Exordium", so this is my first exposure to the band. And after reading that TWWK is "committed to bring innovative and exhilarating material to a stagnant genre of music" on their bio, I thought, man these fellas better seriously bring it with that kind of throwdown challenge. Not sure I agree about stagnant, since virtually every hardcore / metal band is on one of the many summer tours heading across the US (see Thrash and Burn, Summer Slaughter, Pedal to the Metal, Mayhem Festival, 10 Bands for $10, etc.). But I will give TWWK some serious credit for releasing an album that comes across as far more mature than their years and certainly more mature than some of bands filling those tours.

Musically, TWWK has some pretty broad appeal. There are elements of hardcore, thrash metal, death metal, grindcore and even some melodic thrash. Released on Jamey Jasta's Stillborn label, you can hear elements of Hatebreed, but I would liken the band a little closer to New Jersey's God Forbid, although the production on "To The Wolves" surpasses "Earthsblood" in terms of pure brutality. I would also offer that TWWK have infused some significant hardcore elements that might be missing in other bands of the crossover genre. Maybe that's natural given their locale, but I hear some NYHC a la Madball and SOIA. They take all of these varied influences and they do truly acheive the "innovation" they spoke to on their bio.

For me, the standout track on "To The Wolves" is "News Flash". In just a short 3 minutes, this song illustrates that maturity, tempo changes, melodic death metal, pure thrash elements and some stellar hardcore screaming courtesy of their outstanding vocalist, Frank. The album certainly starts out strong enough too with the title track and I can't help but think that that track is nothing short of a crossover free-for-all. I can imagine the mosh pits that "To The Wolves" must create. I also love "King Of The Ring" for its pure aggression and I hope they appreciate that after hearing that track it made me want to unearth "Heartwork" by Carcass and marvel at the intricate guitar work of that those death metal legends.

Finally, I think we have found a new hardcore / metal production talent in Nick Bellmore. He has produced an album with the high quality production value of say the last Hatebreed, but has done it in a manner that honors and respects the technical intricacy found in TWWK's music.

My only disappointment is that I actually have to go out and get the actual album as it has an extra track, "Vanquish" that's not on the downloadable version. That's how much I enjoyed listening to this release!

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or at iTunes

Alexisonfire Old Crows / Young Cardinals Review

From Vagrant Records comes the first new album from Alexisonfire in over 3 years. I'll admit, this is my first exposure to the group and while I realize that I may be a bit late to this party, I am glad to have arrived. This stuff is pure anger! I am amazed at the raw aggression heard on the very first track, "Old Crows". From their bio, I can tell they are from Ontario and that this is their fourth release, and what I hear is some pretty brutal "crossover". Not sure that term is still relevant, but maybe we can make it relevant again. 20 years ago it was used to describe a crossover between thrash metal and hardcore punk. Stuff like DRI, Suicidal Tendencies, Dr. Know, etc. 20 years later, I would argue that it means the same thing. There is a whole retro-thrash metal thing going on and certainly hardcore has become a bit mainstream with the success of Rise Against, so I think it's fair to say this is a metal / punk crossover release. I hear a lot of Killswitch Engage at times, not clone-like, just an Alexisonfire variant.

It's quite good. I find myself using the word clever a lot as I listen to this release. "Young Cardinal" is a terrific song. It's got its own distinct parts, some hauntingly beautiful vocals with (I know this might sound odd) some atmospheric death metal vibes on the more up tempo section. It does work though!

The album as a whole is a bit more accessible than say a Mars Volta and a bit more punk than the metal stylings of some peers like All That Remains. "Born and Raised", "Burial" and "Emerald Street" are three more stand out tracks and highlight the talent that the band possesses for penning both song and lyric. I just keep coming back to clever. Maybe it's because this is a punk release, but it sure does marry together a world of other influences.

Heck, there is even a pretty radio friendly song in "The Northern", a bit of a mellow, grungy Soundgarden type tune. Saying that a punk band can be played on the radio is probably silly, since Rise Against is all over adult rock stations these days. But Alexisonfire a another click closer to hardcore, so from that perspective it's pretty intriguing.

On the whole, I can't find much fault from Alexisonfire. I hear they are a terrific live band and I imagine they'll do well on this years Warped Tour.

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or at iTunes

NoFX Coaster Review

What's not to like about the new NoFX release? Absolutely nothing. It's brilliant, inside and out and from beginning to end. I rarely get caught up in packaging, yeah I actually still like physically having a CD, and in this case the entire package is pure perfection. The theme is a bit of throwback to those things long gone from the 80's. It's like the whole album is about "going the way of the coaster". Whatever happened to coasters? Does anyone actually use them anymore? Why not? Anyway, not necessarily relevant for this record review, but entertaining nonetheless. Great pics of the boys as kids, clever vintage photo's, a respectful nod to 80's punk rock, which was such a huge influence on yours truly and it truly does come with it's own coaster, just make sure you use it as such after it's entered your iTunes library.

The first three songs on this release are really good, mid-paced NoFX songs. Very reminiscent of some of the stuff that you might find on "Wolves" or "Errorism". "My Orphan Years" is an excellent track, especially if you appreciate the up tempo stylings of "Kids of the K-Hole" or "What's the Matter with Parents Today?". More than that it's pretty haunting lyrically as Mike seems to work through some parental stuff in the short 3 minutes of its existence.

You can often find yourself smiling or chuckling when you hear certain NoFX tracks as their sense of humor is legendary and lyrically there are no sacred cows. I can visualize the entire story behind "Creeping Out Sara" and laughed out loud through most of it! About Tegan and Sara, it's classic NoFX..."I told her I was big fan of her band. She asked me if I had a favorite song. I admitted that I never actually heard them but I like k.d. lang". Classic!

The story of Iron Maiden wrapped up in a clever song, tells me that NoFX is in top form these days. It probably takes a fan of heavy metal to uncover the hidden story behind "Eddie, Bruce, and Paul". So, that's easy for me...it's the story of Paul Di 'Anno getting kicked out of Iron Maiden and Bruce Dickinson (the original human siren) leaving Samson to join Iron Maiden. Again, brilliant stuff!

Alcohol clearly plays a role in this album from beginning to end. Songs about alcohol, drinking, late nights at crappy bars and flat-out alcoholism are pervasive throughout. Sometimes funny and as always sometimes providing some deep soul insight. That's not new nor shocking for these guys, but it's a pretty clear throw-down between that demon and satire! I'd say it's probably a tie..."I Am an Alcoholic" is nevertheless a great NoFX track blending their ska influences with rock.

"One Million Coasters" finishes this stellar release very well! Essentially it's a listing of extinction. How cool to think about stuff you've not thought about in 20 years or so...Kodak 110's, telephone booths, Betamax...how quickly we all forget those relics that have gone the way of the answering machine.

25 years of NoFX! That's insane. It seems like only yesterday that I was watching them live at SOMA or Wabash Hall in San Diego. Now I feel old and sad, I think I'll go have an alcoholic beverage! But hey, it's a long way from Wabash Hall to headlining the Warped Tour!

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Punk Bands With Three Letter Acronyms - Who's the Best?

More than any other genre, punk has over-indulged itself in 3 letter acronyms or TLA's. Who was the first? DRI, MDC, JFA? Nope, you have to go back even further than that to find the progeny of TLA punk, MC5! Sure, they were rock, glam, but they were most certainly punk too. MC5 was the first, but they were by no means the last.

Here is a whole post devoted to the long-lost art of three letters to name your punk band! If I've missed any, just comment and I'll update the post.

In a kind of order of importance, here goes.

1. AFI. Love their new stuff or hate their new stuff, Davey and the boys have shattered any barriers that once existed in the genre. For that reason alone, they deserve first billing. Another reason, it's some of the more creative and innovative punk rock ever!
2. DRI. Dirty Rotten Imbeciles came out of Texas like a shot from a blast furnace. Angry, hyper-paced, politically charged hardcore and eventually crossover thrash metal.
3. GBH. In my mind, the leaders of the punk rock British Invasion along side peers Broken Bones, Exploited, UK Subs, Discharge and the under-sung English Dogs.
4. FU's. Hey, that counts, right? Before they were Straw Dogs, Fu's were part of a vibrant Boston punk scene in the early 80's. "Do We Really Want To Hurt You?" was a great punk album and while peers like Gang Green might have garnered more notoriety, this band played way better, far grittier hardcore punk.
5. BGK. This one might surprise some of you, but this Dutch band was way before its time. This was blistering, angry hardcore, like you might expect to find coming from the States in the early 80's.
6. RKL. Rich Kids on LSD. God love 'em. "Riches To Rags" is a terrific punk release. To this day, "Give It Up" is one of my most memorable punk songs from the 90's!
7. JFA. Jody Foster's Army. "We Know You Suck" is a classic. It compiles the bands first two releases. This was California skate rock at its best. I say California because it seemed like they were playing in SoCal every other weekend, but they might have been from elsewhere in the Southwest. Their cover of The Ventures "Walk Don't Run" is wonderful. This band is loaded with anger and rebellion and was probably one of the first real skate punk bands.

That's it. That's my list. Go ahead, ask the one question you all know you want to ask if you were listening to punk in the 80's???? Where is MDC? Nowhere. Never was a fan, it's OK if you were, I am not. I just never really got it.

There you have it. The moment I click submit, I am going to remember one more, but I think this is a pretty accurate and fair list. Let me know what you think? LTR

Tell me what you think, vote for the best below!

The Swellers My Everest Review

From Search and Rescue records comes an outstanding pop-punk release from Michigan's The Swellers. This record took all of five minutes to grow on me. It's infectious and I appreciate it for it's simplicity and pop-punk sensibilities. "Bottles" is a stand-out track and pays tribute to Jawbreaker with its guitar sound. Influences are many for The Swellers and the list is pretty impressive. NoFX, Blink 182, No Use For A Name, The Ataris, etc. This is not a list to simply copy from, this band indeed does their own thing and it's very good from the beginning of "My Everest" 'til the end.

"The Flood" is a hyper-paced punk backlash, replete with guitar solo no less! "This Is My Everest" is a solid mid-paced punk track and showcases the bands ability to craft a memorable melody. "Clean Slate" and "Surrounded" are both fair. "What's At Stake" is another stellar track as is "Skoots". Both quickly establish a foundation rooted in power punk and add in the now familiar Swellers harmony.

It's not every day that I pop a CD in and am able to listen to it from beginning to end, there are usually a couple of tracks that I just have to skip past. Not on "My Everest"! Every track is enjoyable, sure it's all similar, but what's wrong with that. Released during 2007, I suspect that it got buried a bit amongst other punk releases, but they still developed a loyal fan base. If the band can keep up this good song writing, then greater things are ahead and certainly a broader audience will just naturally occur.

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or Grab It at iTunes

Blink 182 Reforms!!!

Yep, it's true, Blink 182 has reformed, is in the studio and is preparing to tour! Announced last night on the Grammy's, they have apparently reconciled and are picking up where they left off. Love them or hate them, the band is certainly a force in pop punk. I've been a fan ever since I first heard "Cheshire Cat" on a little San Diego indie label. Though they went on to form +44 and Box Car Racer, there has been a void in pop punk since they split. "Take Off Your Pants and Jacket" is a phenomenal punk album. And the self-titled album in 2003 was completely experimental and in my opinion a huge success. I think I always knew that Travis Barker was a drum talent like rock may not have seen, but on the 2003 release, he showcases his craft in an extraordinary manner.

That self titled release moved the band past their youthful stage and put them squarely into the mature punk rock mainstream. I suspect that with the new album it will be a blend of their pop punk roots, their experimental side along with a healthy dose of their post-Blink lives and its influences. It's going to be great. Come on, admit it, when you heard the news, you smirked and said "that's very cool"! I know I did.

Leathermouth XO Review

"Catch Me If You Can" is our own modern day "Ace of Spades"!!! Lemmy, don't worry, these Jersey Boys do Motorhead proud. In fact LeATERHMOUTH should inspire pride in many a forefather to the current emo/screamo/post-hardcore world in which we live. As I listen to "XO" I find that I reminisce about some good ol' NYHC a la Cro-Mags or Agnostic Front or I'll find myself thinking about seeing Drive Like Jehu or Rocket From The Crypt (the early years) at The Casbah, not knowing at the time that I was witnessing the birth of screamo. In fact, lots of stuff floats through my head as "XO" progresses and maybe it's just plain that I didn't really expect too much. Let's face it, emo/screamo is becoming saturated. There, I said it! That's OK, it means that in order to stand out, that you need more than a look, more than a link to some other band of the genre and clearly that you can offer more than having the word "boy(s)" or "die" in your band name.

Maybe because the lead singer is the guitarist in My Chemical Romance, I passed judgement before I should have. I suspect I am not the only one to do that. MCR is great, but comparing these two bands is in fact unfair and distorts the truth.

The Bronx were supposed to be the next it thing a couple of years ago. Breaking barriers, pushing the envelope of post-hardcore and while their debut was impressive, in hindsight, it lacked some depth and complexity. Leathermouth does punk complexity well. Are they the next big thing, well, their record label hopes so, but if they turn out to be that, it will be for the reasons that this is one of the best scream records put out in a very long time!

It's a great rock record in that the guitar lines are memorable and loaded with hooks. The vocals are incredibly strong and migrate from Trent Reznor to Rick Froberg (work on it kids). It's angst ridden, it's smart, it's a record that with each listen, you hear something new. We all have those favorite records, right? Perhaps on first listen, you thought, hey there are some pretty good tracks on here. Then, each time another track opens up and you realize, in fact, every song is great and it makes you want to go back and here it again from beginning to end to uncover some new aspect. For me, the last time that happened was with "Career Suicide" by A Wilhelm Scream. It happens on "XO", in fact it's still happening.

It's by no means an epic album, it's rather short in fact...sorry, I'm talking about time, not song titles! Song titles, it reigns supreme with clever titles like "This Song is About Being Attacked by Monsters". But who cares about that stuff, to me, that's part of the packaging. What matters is the music and Leathermouth clearly inherit all sorts of influences from sludge rock, NWOBHM and hardcore. Inheritance is tricky thing, you can abuse it and treat it like you are entitled. Leathermouth embrace it and then make it their own. Well done Jersey Boys!

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NoFX So Long And Thanks For All The Shoes Review

Ask any discerning NoFX fan and it's likely, that if pressed, they would not list this release as one of their faves. You would probably hear about "Punk In Drublic" and "White Trash, Two Heebs and a Bean". Those are stellar punk records and while "So Long..." came out about 5 years after "White Trash" it retains the blatant, in your face, frenetic blend that has made NoFX so great for over 25 years!

Why do I think this album is so important, both for the band and for the music in general? I think it may be because this is the punk release that resonated with so many people in the face of the cresting wave of punk being cool, commercial and credible! Remember, what was really going on in music in the late 90's? There was some great, transitional stuff happening in rock... Foo Fighters, Offspring, Green Day, Mighty Mighty Bosstones, The Prodigy, Reel Big Fish, Blur all had significant songs in 1997. As a subset of rock, Punk and Alt-Rock was entering the mainstream and personally, I took notice and paid attention to it, worried that it might be the beginning of the end. Punk and alternative rock had pushed into the mainstream earlier in the decade with grunge and as quickly as that happened, it vanished equally as fast. What would be the fate of Green Day, Offspring, Rancid and others as they were snapped up by major labels? Well, 2 out the 3 ain't bad, to this day all but Rancid (at least not in that form) have flourished.

I don't have the insight to know if there was major label interest for NoFX, I suspect their was because like any scene, when one band sells a million records, record labels have a tendency to sign anyone that has "that look and that sound", get them into the studio, put out a record and get them on the road super-fast! A more recent example is who will survive the emo/screamo/rock bubble burst...Fall Out Boy, My Chemical Romance, Senses Fail, Taking Back Sunday, Atreyu, Red Jumpsuit Apparatus? Who knows, but what I do know is that in 1997, at a time when punk rock was in a throwdown with fame, NoFX released a record that helped to keep us all centered.

Was this what they set out to do, of course not! Having seen, listened, watched and read about NoFX for so many years, I suspect they tried to make a good record and had a boat load of fun while doing it. Isn't that the way it should be?

So, it's an important record, happened during a punk-rock-growth-spurt and as compared with some of their classic earlier work and as compared with other releases of the genre, it may well have gotten lost in the shuffle. But for me and I believe for countless other fans, it was a validating record for NoFX. No matter what else is going on, NoFX remains true to themselves, their fans and their music.

"It's My Job to Keep Punk Rock Elite", wow thanks NoFX for starting your album out with such an appropriate title given the content of this blog post so far. This song, along with "Kids of the K-Hole", "180 Degrees", "I'm Telling Tim" and "Kill Rock Stars" will please any fan of "Linoleum" or "Soul Doubt" as it's uptempo and completely memorable. As always, NoFX blends in various influences as they blister through song after song. "Champs Elysees" is a good case in point. The creative use of horns, pace changes and even the odd french word showcase the diversity of the band. "Eat the Meek" is another influence-blender, this time evoking imagery of dance hall, dub and reggae. Ska dominates the blend on "All Outta Angst" and as always it fits right in and feels right.

Humor has always played a part in NoFX music, as has social commentary. Heck, any band that can count two songs about lesbians among their repertoire, must have much to say! But sometimes, there is just plain humor as in "Monosyllabic Girl". "I take her down to the aquarium, she says shark. I take her to the planetarium, she says dark." A good song, neat tune, fun words, good times!

Like all NoFX releases, the album is laden with hooks that grab the listener. From the first chord to the last, this album does not disappoint. It's at times gritty, angry and crass. Others, it's light and humorous. Still others, it's a wash in harmony.

I think I have made this statement before, with some bands, you appreciate that you always know what you are going to get. There is a formula, a pattern that is discernible and you look forward to it and it's OK that it doesn't change because it's good. That's not the case with NoFX and in particular on "So Long and Thanks for All the Shoes". The album stylistically wanders and that's its beauty. Add to that it's constant commentary on the state of the music biz and it truly does establish its rightful place in the heritage of punk rock! Peers may come and go, get signed, get dropped, etc., but this album stands on solid footing and is in my opinion an important marker in the punk rock timeline.

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My So Called Punk Rock Dad

What better way to get back into the swing of things than to recommend two outstanding punk books! First it's Matt Diehl's "My So-Called Punk - Green Day, Fall Out Boy, The Distillers, Bad Religion - How Neo-Punk Stage-Dived Into The Mainstream". It's comprehensive, fun, well-written and filled to the brim with facts and anecdotes that highlight the good, the bad and the ugly in punk rock. Highly recommended that you read about the punk sphere of influence in this first class book. Go grab it at Amazon and save $3:



Next up it's Jim Lindberg's "Punk Rock Dad". I found myself laughing out loud so much while reading this book. His honesty and candor about raising his daughters and being the lead singer in one of the most influential punk bands, Pennywise, is inspirational. It's a very quick read and is filled with fun parenting nuggets, Pennywise history and a simple punk sensibility. Put it in your cart along with My So Called Punk at Amazon and you'll probably have free shipping!

Highly Useful - Useless ID - Redemption Review

Compilations are great sometimes. You get a chance to check out a wide array of bands and sometimes are pleasantly surprised when you come across a band that you had not heard previously. On the Rock Against Bush comps, there are numerous stand-out tracks, but on Volume 2 it's "State of Fear" from Useless ID that made me want to hear more from this band. Hailing from the punk mecca that is Haifa, Israel comes Useless ID. I shouldn't say that, there may well be a thriving scene over there, but this is an outstanding hybrid pop punk / hardcore release. on Rock V. Bush "State of Fear" was a driving hardcore anthem and it's found on this release too. Having heard that, I expected more of the same, but I was pleasantly surprised at the variety. At times it's funny like on "Drinkage", other times it's quite serious for example on "Redemption" and at all times, it's melodic and memorable punk.

I sometimes use the word complexity to offer the reader the perspective that there are musical layers that get uncovered over the course of an album. The word simplicity is more appropriate for Useless ID. There is a very pleasing simplicity to this entire record. It's hard-charging punk, with some pop-punk harmonies and I find that the entire album as a whole is strikingly complete. The whole album is greater than the sum of its parts! This is in fact a great rock record. Great production, outstanding musicianship, solid vocals and it sounds like the band is playing music, just to play music. Again, it's very complete...there's some New Found Glory-esque pop-punk numbers like "Kiss Me, Kill Me" and "Everything Turns Red". There is some NUFAN influence on "It's Alright" and "Dying Love" and there is very intense hardcore, a la Strung Out on "Suffer For The Fame".

Having said all that, you might be thinking that the band is "all over the map" in terms of an identity? Not at all, I think that's the charm of the ID of Useless ID, it's simple variety. I'm reminded of Lawrence Arms. There is a Lawrence Arms sound, but each song is delivered in a distinct manner. Same goes for highly relevant Useless ID!

Grab It At iTunes

Rise Against - Appeal To Reason

Clearly taking a leadership position in punk, Chicago's Rise Against return with their fifth album. I've been waiting for a song to hit me like "The First Drop" off of their 2004 album "Siren Song of the Counter Culture". "Sufferer and the Witness" was great, but there was not a "First Drop" equivalent. Well, on this release that aggressive, anthemic hardcore stand-out is "Kotov Syndrome". It's but one of many outstanding tracks on "Appeal to Reason".

Sometimes, major labels and punk rock get along about as well as Obama and McCain do and there's a pretty long track record of bands who don't necessarily thrive while playing in the majors (see: Bad Religion, Ataris, 7 Seconds). It's through no fault of their own, but often, it's just that those releases might not get a proper amount of care and feeding. That is however changing of late. Offspring, Green Day, AFI are putting out good-as-ever music and are thriving on majors. Rise Against certainly are the most hardcore of punk bands to fall into that latter category. I suspect that it's the broad appeal of Rise Against that makes them so very popular. For me, it's pretty simple. Rise Against write great songs! Each track on this album is thoughtful, complex, provoking, emotional and most importantly...memorable!

Surprisingly, this is the most "accessible" Rise Against release yet. It's actually a really good "rock" record. Not going to call them emo or lump them in with the hard rock that is popular, because this is a hardcore punk album. But, they do blend in melodies and harmonies that evoke images of other contemporary genres.

I don't know if I have much to offer on the vocals of Tim McIlrath, but I'll offer the following. He's probably the best pure singer in punk today! I hear no weakness in his voice, enough said.

There is a style to Rise Against. There has always been, but this record sees that style mature a bit while still maintaining the raw youthful power found on some of their early Fat Wreck releases like "Revolutions and "Unraveling". Whatever the differences in style between now and then, it's clear that Rise Against is writing great, rhythmic punk songs and they deserve all the accolades that the are receiving.

I'll wrap up with another observation. Frequency of releasing records is always interesting. Wait to long...you could lose some of the faithful. Put out records to quickly...same thing, but for different reasons. I find that when a new Rise Against record hits the shelves (yes, you can actually still walk into a record store and buy one...I did it just this morning!) that it's the right time. I'm ready to listen, the record so well done that it is clearly ready to be heard and it seems like it hits at a good time for punk. I didn't hear their debut until years later, but I can say that for the bands other four records, that has been the case. After all, timing is everything. With Rise Against, that's part of it, but it's more about talent, innovation and passion that has led them to this point.

Grab It At iTunes

Hello The Used? It's Me Drive Like Jehu - Screamo Born

Or maybe this post should be titled "Hello, Bert? It's me, John Reis". Whatever the title of this post, hardcore and punk underwent an amazing transformation in 1991. Emo, Screamo, Post-Hardcore owe a tremendous debt to this band. Drive Like Jehu released their self-titled debut on Headhunter Records. Punk rock would never be the same.

In retrospect, it's hard to not call this a punk rock supergroup. With this pedigree, it's no wonder this band and specifically, this album would have such wide influence. Check out three of the members:

John Reis (aka. Speedo): Rocket From The Crypt, Hot Snakes, Pitchfork, The Night Marchers, Owner Swami Records and all-around punk rock hero.

Rick Froberg: Hot Snakes, Obits and Chapter 1 of "Screamo 101: A Lesson in Vocals". (note: can't wait for the Obits debut next year on Sub Pop!!!)

Mark Trombino: Night Soil Man, Aminiature, punk rock producer to the stars...Jimmy Eat World, Finch, Silverstein, Blink-182.

A digression: In the early 90's the San Diego alternative scene was loaded! But the three bands that in my opinion had a large influence on the screamo and hardcore of today are these peers of DLJ...Night Soil Man, Three Mile Pilot and Truman's Water. Each, known for their own brand of sonic dissonance, they each shaped the future of punk, and rock in general, with their aggressive, dirty, yet technical music.

Back to our featured artist. Drive Like Jehu. The complexity of this music, to this day, leaves me awestruck. It's beautiful, rich, well thought out and well executed. "Caress" starts the album off. It builds to crescendo and while other tracks meander from the beautiful to the extreme, "Caress" is relentless from beginning to end. Next up is quick blast "Spikes To You". The shortest song on the album, but by no means the simplest. How do you describe the guitar sound of Drive Like Jehu? It's "off" in a way, no disrespect, it's what makes it amazing. It's almost like they use their dueling guitar lines to create some sort of mismatched harmony. It works perfectly on "Spikes". John Reis leads the way on "Step on Chameleon", a bit of a slower, sludgy track with those patented overlaying guitars. "Step on Chameleon" features some nice Rocket From The Crypt harmony and is a personal fave. "O Pencil Sharp" is a nine minute epic that captures the entire Drive Like Jehu experience. It slowly builds into a single guitar led melody and then into a mid-paced, somewhat somber progression. At around the 5 minute mark, the deluge that is Drive Like Jehu starts. Manic, pulsing, strained solos, complex percussion, it's got it all. As quickly as the deluge starts, you wander back into the darkness that began the track... and so it ends. It's a track like that that often can be the measurement of a band, but how well they can take the song from record to the stage is the real test. From personal experience, Drive Like Jehu were able to precisely capture "O Pencil Sharp" note for tenuous note. "Atom Jack" would fit in quite well amongst the Emo and Screamo of today and is probably the most structured of all the tracks. "If It Kills You" is a study in tonal instability. The pain sensed in Rick's voice is palpable but ultimately outdone by the guitar and bass work on this post-hardcore forebear. This track, along with a few others, feels at times like an instrumental. It wanders off in a direction for a few minutes and it's a wonderful journey. "Good Luck In Jail" is simply a really cool punk / alternative rock song. It's Melvins-esque and it's a treat! "Turn It Off" could have easily been written in 2006 and may well have influence outside of punk (Killers, Modest Mouse, etc.). This classic, noisy album wraps up with "Future Home of Stucco Monstrosity". "Wall of Sound" jumps to mind as a simple way to sum up this tune and probably is a fitting description for the work as a whole.

I know there are Drive Like Jehu fans out there that count this record as one of the best of the punk or hardcore genre, count me amongst that group!

There was a song in the 80's called "Video Killed The Radio Star". Sadly, we could probably say "Major Label Killed the Punk Rock Star" for this band and bunches of others. While there are always many contributing factors to a bands finish, in this particular case, I can't help but wonder what would have happened if Drive Like Jehu had stayed on some small, high quality San Diego indie label? I'd like to think that "Yank Crime" would be just the second in a long line future masterpieces! But hey, good news for all of us, the three main men continue to release and influence a tremendous amount of good quality, true to themselves punk.