Punk
The best punk music is in this section, don’t miss it!
Lagwagon (Let´s talk about feelings)
By 1998, the melodic/skate punk boom that was ushered into the mainstream, with the help of “Dookie” and “Smash”, was starting to wane. Lagwagon had released arguably one of the best of the bunch with Hoss in 1994 and followed it up with another melodic punk rock gem, “Double Plaidinum” in ‘97. The bands that had were leading the pack were starting to mature and expand their sound for better or for worse. (See, Bad Religion’s “No Substance” or NOFX’s “Heavy Petting Zoo”). Singer Joey Cape himself was starting to reinvent himself as a songwriter and was looking to shed the “silly pop punk persona” the band seemed to have. While the music on “Let’s Talk About Feelings” leaned towards a more pop punk sound than previous efforts, the song writing structure took on a more complex and serious nature.
Much more melodic and varied than anything the band had released yet, this record was filled with metal riffing, pop song structures, strings, piano and some of the best songs they’d recorded. In short, the song writing on this record was the most mature and experimental of Cape’s, then still young, career.
Green day (American idiot)
West Coast pop-punks’ first release in four years is the political concept album you didn’t know they had in them. While never very lyrically insightful or poetic, American Idiot is certainly the band’s most ambitious record to date, with a consistent narrative spun throughout its 13 tracks– two of which boast runtimes in excess of nine minutes. Life-changing? Not a bit, but there’s something to be said for having the balls.
Bad religion (The dissent of man)
On Sept. 28, the punk rock veterans Bad Religion dropped their 15th studio album, entitled The Dissent of Man.
For a band that has been together upwards of 30 years and has endured countless changes in line-up, it is surprising how consistent their sound continues to be with each new release.
For the most part, the album is everything you’d expect from the Southern Cali musicians. Lyrically, the boys are as strong as ever. Known for exploring issues of science, religion, history and authority in their music, the band consistently writes songs that push the limits of what punk music, or music in general for that matter, can be.
Goldfinger (Hang-ups)
This album is mostly ska, but there is also a little punk. I personally am a bigger fan of punk then ska so of course I prefer “Stomping Ground,” and “Goldfinger” by Goldfinger, but this album is also great. This album shows just how talented John, Charlie, Darrin and Simon (this is Simon’s last album for Goldfinger on bass) are. It shows that they can be a punk and a ska band at the same time. This album kicks off great with “Superman.” This song is probably Goldfinger’s most popular song, but I personally find it quite weak compared to alot of there other songs. Most of the songs on this release are ska, but there are a few punk tunes such as “My Head,” “Question,” “Disorder” and “S.M.P.”.
The offspring (Rise & fall, rage & grace)
Probably The Offspring’s best effort in ten years, but that’s not saying too much.
It has been long enough since The Offspring released a new album. It’s hard for me to believe that Americana is already ten years behind them and the pop punk piece of poo Conspiracy of One is a long eight. Since then, they’ve come out with Splinter, a fair album that sported some good heavier punk songs but was ruined by crappy silly ones, and now, five years later, Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace