The Muffs - The Muffs (1993)

cover sux like scooby doo meets aqua chilling with jesse bernstein. music rulz like ramones-ish minimalism meets surly relationship stories, something which appeals to me whenever i come across it-- like 'answering machine' as opposed to anything else on 'let it be'

B

here

(2002)

I mean, c'mon

A+

here

Lifetime - Jersey's Best Dancers (1997)

Young, Loud, and Snotty? At least you guys know it! Oh wait, it's Scotty. Haha!

Nostalgia-core for those who heard it in 1997. I didn't hear it 'til last week, so it's more than that. I found it when I was trying to get something like Leatherface's Mush. When you hear it you'll know how confused I was! Other than both being hardcore in the most liberal sense and also fast and moving, they couldn't be more different. In fact, with those criteria you could be talking about Husker Du or the Meat Puppets! So under labels I've added pop punk and emo. Bitter in the most wide-eyed and naive way, and with REALLY good songs

B

spotify

Title Fight - Shed (2011)

1. Coxton Yard

2. Shed

3. Flood of ‘72

4. Society

5. You Can’t Say Kingston Doesn’t Love You

6. Crescent-Shaped Depressio

7. Safe in Your Skin

8. Where Am I?

9. Your Screen Door

10. 27

11. Stab

12. GMT (Greenwich Mean Time)

Bizarre compliment- 2011's best pop punk album. Good shit though, you'll love it

B

Buy
Try

Blink - s/t (2003)

1. Feeling This 2:54

2. Obvious 2:44

3. I Miss You 3:47

4. Violence 3:49

5. Stockholm Syndrome 2:41

6. Down 3:03

7. The Fallen Interlude 2:12

8. Go 1:53

9. Asthenia 4:20

10. Always 4:12

11. Easy Target 2:21

12. All of This 4:40

13. Here's Your Letter 2:54

14. I'm Lost Without You 6:20

One of the more underrated pop punk albums I've heard- it doesn't get nostalgia points like Enema of the State, and it's simultaneously more and less far reaching than releases by other pop punk veterans such as AFI's Sing the Sorrow of the same year. Critics either said it's more of the same, or too different to appeal to old fans

It's almost understandable- on their self-titled album, they're undeniably the same band, but they've also grown up, had kids, and experimented with different styles and concerns in various side-projects since they made a mark with Enema of the State. All of this comes into their 2003 self-titled album which is grown up and musically diverse, particularly coming from a band which prided itself in dick jokes and some of the best hooks in punk. A lot of that's changed: the excellent hooks we want are there, but the lyrics and feeling of the album are completely unique for the band. For one thing, it's a concept album. They've always dealt with breakup on their albums, but only the instant guilt/anger/revenge which can be conveyed in songs like Anthem (Fuck this place, I lost the war/I hate you all, your mom's a whore/Where's my doll?/'Cause girls are such a drag). On their self-titled album, they've managed to express not only that, but the feeling of loss which follows. They've sequenced it well enough so that the album opens on Feeling This, capturing the lust and romantic feelings of new love. After that, of course, it's all down hill into desperation and loneliness. The fact that the band are trying to tell a story means they've consciously tried to tie the songs together, which would be easy enough if the songs were all as similar as they were on previous releases, but there's a heap of variety here musically, which makes it even more admirable that it's their most easily flowing album. Some rushed to the claim that Blink-182 were making their sound more emo to suit trends in popular music, but even a quick listen says otherwise

They've experimented because they're good enough musicians to pull it off, and good enough songwriters to make it a distinctly Blink-182 album that also manages to be conceptually and musically moving, engaging, and unique. Problems for the listener might come in just how sincere it is, but the band have always been quite open about how willing they were to make something epic and melodramatic. In my opinion they nail it.

A-

320

NOFX - Punk in Drublic (1994)

1. Linoleum 2:10

2. Leave It Alone 2:04

3. Dig 2:16

4. The Cause 1:37

5. Don't Call Me White 2:33

6. My Heart Is Yearning 2:23

7. Perfect Government 2:06

8. The Brews 2:40

9. The Quass 1:18

10. Dying Degree 1:50

11. Fleas 1:48

12. Lori Meyers 2:21

13. Jeff Wears Birkenstocks 1:26

14. Punk Guy 1:08

15. Happy Guy 1:58

16. Reeko 3:05

17. Scavenger Type 7:12

Their most critically acclaimed release for good reason- awesome song-writing, quick riffs, tempo and mood shifts, retarded non-punk songs, funny songs, good songs, and Linoleum which is just the best thing

A+

v0

Alkaline Trio - Goddamnit (1998)

1. Cringe 2:23

2. Cop 2:18

3. San Francisco 3:52

4. Nose Over Tail 2:37

5. As You Were 2:11

6. Enjoy Your Day 2:18

7. Clavicle 2:28

8. My Little Needle 3:01

9. Southern Rock 3:05

10. Message From Kathlene 3:22

11. Trouble Breathing 3:55

12. Sorry About That 3:19

I was using Grooveshark to listen to albums that I used to like but didn't particularly want to download and buy, but that didn't work out 'cause I remembered why I loved Alkaline Trio via Private Eye and then checked out Goddamnit 'cause it's their first album and they're even better than I remember

The album is filled with catchy, enthusiastic punk/pop-punk with lyrics mainly centred around heartbreak. The singer sounds like a gentleman, something I didn't expect from pop punk. It's kind of cheesy but so good that you don't really feel self-conscious listening to it. Even with songs like Clavicle where the chorus is I just want to wake up naked next to you / kissing the curve of your clavicle

It's incredibly sweet, bitter, and earnest. Easily one of the best 90s punk albums I've heard and one that since I've (sort of) re-discovered, will undoubtedly stay on high rotation alongside guilty pleasures like Enema of the State and Sing the Sorrow, and less embarrassing ones like Punk in Drublic, Diary, and Schmap’n Schmazz. Somehow it covers all those bases.

A-

v0

NOFX - The Longest Line (1992)

1. The Death of John Smith 3:51

2. The Longest Line 2:04

3. Stranded 2:08

4. Remnants 2:59

5. Kill All the White Man 2:48

It's easy to see why a million suburban punk bands out there are heavily influenced by NOFX. The music is incredibly tight, the humor is off the wall, and they have no intentions in hiding the fact that they don't take a thing seriously. But the punch line is that they all make a living off this band, so go figure. Released between Ribbed and White Trash, Two Heebs and a Bean, The Longest Line documents two firsts for NOFX: not only does it feature the debut of guitarist El Hefe, but it's also the first release on their Fat Wreck Chords label. As for the music, it's as tight and fast as ever with lots of added harmonies -- most notably on "Stranded" -- and a sarcastic sense of humor, most of which can be found on the ska parody "Kill All the White Man."
-AMG

B-


192

Descendents - Everything Sucks [1996]

Descendents Everything Sucks
[1996]

Being way too eager to listen to things, I'm not the type to archive properly [The opposite of my big brother]. But the collection of Descendents on my iPod doesn't mind competing with 'the Descendents' or the various underscores in the_song_titles.
I mean, what’s more badass than an anarchic iPod? Descendents.
The album has decent melodies and break downs with punky lyrics that make me feel bad ass when walking to my friends’ houses in the suburbs.

Now, I’m not saying this is the best album, but it was the first I was introduced to, maybe the album itself is a bit sentimental, maybe I am a bit sentimental.

OK I’m fucking sentimental so download Everything Sucks if you haven't got it already. [192]

Also shameless plug to Parents of whom were named after the Descendents track of the album Milo Goes to College.

Thank-you Grant for the introduction to both of these bands