Rekkids
The Offspring "Americana"
Sony
A friend of mine has this theory that most bands only ever write one
original song in their entire career and that everything else is just a continuation or
rehash of that original song. In The Offspring's case, I'm not even sure you can say they
ever wrote an original song. It seems they sold out long before they had anything to sell.
Their new album is more useless big label promotion, piled on top of semi-clever
pseudo-punk music. At least they have a message, you might say to yourself, but what is
that message? It doesn't' take a genius to realize the world is fucked up, and shouldn't
take a doctorate degree to write angry, focused, anti-societal punk anthems. It makes me
wonder why a guy like Dexter Holland, with a PHD in Microbiology, is writing teen angst
poetry.You could say that this band does what it does for a reason: to reach its target
audience of twelve year old malcontents, but that sounds more like marketing than a
mission to me. If you're gonna go big label just to reach a lot of people at least have
something intelligent to say (e.g. Bad Religion), but crap is crap, and to me it smells
just like the Offspring.
On the other hand: These guys have a knack for writing catchy riffs, they probably don't give a fuck about their image, and they probably enjoy those big cushy pay checks. I guess that's also in the punk spirit. More power to 'em. As for the new album: Despite Dave Jerden's skillful production (Alice in Chains, Jane's Addiction), some solid drumming, and a few interesting moments late in the album, it's exactly what you would expect.
Youth Brigade "Out of Print"
B.Y.O.
Did you ever wish you were born in the late sixties or early seventies? That you could
have been an angry young teenager around 1980? That you could have heard of "Minor
Threat" before you heard of "Fugazi?" That you could remember a time when
you couldn't wait for the new "Sex Pistols" or "Ramones" album. That
you could remember when you discovered that new band "Sonic Youth?" Well maybe
you don't have to, but I do. I am only 21. When punk music was born, I was learning not to
poop in my pampers. Great records were released, were popular in cult circles, and faded
away into obscurity while I listened to little red riding hood on tape, and my mom sing
old Elvis songs. We were the children of the eighties, who were stuffed into Izod golf
shirts and tight corduroys and shipped off to kindergarten while the ollie was being
invented, while snowboards were just beginning to grace the slopes. Now look at us. Every
thing we love is trendy. The majority of our music sucks. Disco is being reborn. Techno is
taking over. 'N Sync exists. Giant corporations are cashing in on our angst. What can we
do? Pretend. When B.Y.O. records released Out of Print on CD, it made my Christmas/
Hannakah/ Kwanza/ Festivus/ Rammadan/ Solstice. This is a collection of songs by Youth
Brigade, one of the greatest honest to gosh darn punk bands of all time, that have never
been on CD. The songs are from the original version of "Sound and Fury,"
recorded in July 1982 when I was just turning five. Only 800 copies of the original album
were ever printed. This album is for everyone who ever wished to wear a mighty neon
mohawk, a leather jacket, chains, and a kilt. This reprinting is for the teens of the
nineties, who grew up buying their nose-rings, and their punk-rock T-shirts in the mall.
Now we can pretend, if just for a little while longer, that we are cool, that we are
hard-core, and that gosh darn it we are special. This album is wonderful. Don't be a
schmuck, pretend that you have heard of them before and run out and buy your ticket to
never-never land before its too late.
Earth Crisis "Breed the Killers"
Road Runner Records
The new Earth Crisis album, "Breed the Killers," came out in September and ever
since then people have been asking me what I think of it. Usually, I change the subject. I
do this because I don't know what to say. You see, it's kind of like Thanksgiving at my
grandmothers house. Every year she cooks a great big Turkey, and she asks me at dinner.
"How's the turkey, dear?" And I say, "Great, Grandma just like every
year." But I'm really thinking: I don't care. Its just turkey. I mean it always seems
to taste the same to me. Its exactly what I expect. It tastes pretty good and I eat a lot
of it and then I take a nap. The new Earth Crisis album is pretty much the same in my
opinion as any other Earth Crisis album. I mean it's hard core. It's good hard core, and
if you like it, you'll like them. And if you like them, you'll like this. Personally, I
enjoy hard-core punk music. Live, anyway. But I always feel kind of silly listening to it
on CD. Its just too clean sounding. Hard-core is supposed to be played live, in a shitty
little club, by big scary guys with huge tattoos, and so loud that you want to just beat
people up to make it go away. On CD, it just sounds ridiculous. Like, you just got home
from riding and you took a hot shower, and you put your P.J.s on, and some
slippers, and you turn on the stereo and there's Earth Crisis. You wonder, "What's he
so angry about?" So, how is the new Earth Crisis album? I don't care. If they come to
town, you'll know how good their new songs are by how many scars I have. Otherwise, I'm
just not going to tell you.
The Graduates "Up in Downtown"
Beatville Records
Those crazy kids love their swing music. I want to eat their trendy livers. Yes, I'm
bitter. Another cranky critic. Why do kids love revival swing music? It's kind of sexy,
I'll give it that, and it's fun, and it's danceable. Its party music there's no doubt. You
don't put it on quietly in the background while you contemplate meaningless existence. You
dance naked to it, when you're really wasted. I think there's glory in that. Anyway,
swing is doing its thing in our culture right now and my only
complaint is that a gillion swing bands have sprung up over night and many of them annoy
the fuck out of me. So, I thought I'd review a band that doesn't. The Graduates are a D.C.
band following in the ska laden footsteps of hometown heroes the Pietasters. They're
basically a third wave ska band who decided to start playing swing. Remind you of anyone
(Cherry Popping Daddies)? But they play it well, with style and pizzazz, and I'd let them
play my bahmitzvah any day.
The Lesdystics "Two for the Road"
RAJ Records
Nobody likes ska. Everybody likes ska. Some people like ska. Rudies
like ska. Rudies are people who like ska. Rudies suck. Rudies don't suck. Some Rudies are
cool. Ska is cool. Ska sucks. Some ska is cool. Old school ska music is cool. Second wave
ska music is cool. Third-wave ska music is cool. Third wave ska music sucks. Some third
wave ska music is cool. Third-wave ska is a fancy way of saying new ska music, with punk
influence. The "Lesdystics" are a a new ska band with punk influence. The
"Lesdystics" are the quintessential third wave band.
They have a funny name. It makes fun of people with Dyslexia. Dyslexia sucks. The
"Lesdystics" are from California. California is cool. California sucks. Some of
California is cool. Their album "Two For The Road" is cool. Their new album,
"Two For The Road," sucks. Some of their new album is cool. It has funny movie
quotes between songs. The songs are fun. The songs are good third-wave ska. People who
like good ska music are cool. People who think "No Doubt" is a ska band
suck. People who like "No Doubt" suck. Gwen Steffani is hot. Gwen Steffani is
weird looking. Everybody likes her. Nobody likes her. Some people like Gwen
Steffani. I bet she's a rudie. Rudies are people who like ska music. Nobody likes
ska music...
-Kevin Peckham
