Coaster album cover
Let’s see here, Nofx can still play their instruments, and they definitely still have a great sense of humour, though possibly greater (or worse) than everyone else’s. Nofx are not a bunch of old punkers who simply write about things that happened 20 years ago. Sure, they may comment on things that were popular 20 years ago, that aren’t anymore. And they might follow a formula when it comes to their music, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t aware of the world around them. The album title “Coaster” and the song “One Million Coasters” about all the things in our world that have become obsolete and valueless, are both comments on our times. Nofx are still attacking the stupidity of our world from their unique vantage point. They comment on the downfall of America in “We Called it America”, Fat Mike deals with the death of his loser father in “My Orphan Year”, and with “Eddie, Bruce, and Paul” he picks on present day Iron Maiden. There are other great tracks, and perhaps some not so great ones, I am not sure exactly what Tegan and Sara did to these guys to deserve being picked on by them, but I can see how God could have pissed them off. Best song on the album, is a reggae number with a catchy, catchy riff entitled “Best God in Show”. A decent Nofx album all round, it keeps with the times, does nothing really new, but reminds us that after all these years we still have Nofx around, and in my opinion that is a good thing.
-Chuck Wurley
Listen to Coaster on YouTube
Check out NOFX merch at Fat Wreck Chords
Posted by: Absolute Underground TV Tags: Absolute, album, bottlerocket, came, chords, fat, from, label, record, review, shadows, teenage, the, they, wreck
They Came from the Shadows album cover
Teenage Bottlerocket does not suffer from pretensions of trying to be original. They know what they are good at, and they do it damn well. You need not even listen to their music to know this. They have had the same album cover for all four of their full length albums, they know that their skull and crossrockets logo is rad! In a world full of people that miss the Ramones, the Teenage Bottlerocket boys are just trying to fill a gap. They are filling this gap by touring endlessly, and putting out album after album of catchy pop punk. Once again on this album we get to hear some tremendous songs about girls that no Ramones fan could resist. But we also get social commentary and pop culture appreciation. “Skate or Die” and Bigger Than Kiss” are both great slabs of fun, while “Forbidden Planet” serves to remind us of what a fragile world we all live in. Other songs like “Fatso Goes Nutzoid”, “Tonguebiter” and “The Jerk” seem to be designed to help us (and possibly the band) deal with the many insecurities we all face. See what I mean? Just like the Ramones, they talk about the world, and try to help us face issues of love and insecurity. All the while holding it together with guitar riffs that Ben Weasel is probably trying to think of a way to sue them over (even though I am sure Jughead wrote and played them all).
-Chuck Wurley
Teenage Bottlerocket Myspace page
$10 CD download from Fat Wreck Chords
Posted by: Absolute Underground TV Tags: Absolute, album, alliance, boom, city, label, rebel, record, review, six, sonic, thieves
City of Thieves album cover
Truly a punk band that is about unity, Sonic Boom Six brings together musical styles as they try to bring together people. With clever, positive, and intelligent lyrics, they mash together musical styles from punk to hip-hop to ska to jungle beat and beyond. With the release of their fourth album, City of Thieves, this Manchester UK five piece decided to try a concept album. All the songs on here follow a theme, a present day city in decay, a comment upon their city I am sure, and also the world. The band kicks into high gear on this album, slowing down only a couple of times, once in the middle and again at the end. The songs range in subject matter from bullying, to loss of civil liberties, to greed, and to the transformation of people into monsters by way of alcohol. The band has dual vocalists, one female with a very beautiful voice, and the other male with a very thick British rude boy feel, perfect for the ska bits, though both of them sing and rap throughout. My favourite tune is the more traditional ska number in the middle of the album, “Rum Little Scallywag”. But that being said, I love that the album is constantly changing pace and style. Each song feels fresh, not like a repeat of the last. This band is not afraid to experiment with genre and sounds. They do not pigeon hole themselves, which is why people are still paying attention to them.
-Chuck Wurley
Check out Sonic Boom Six on YouTube
Buy City of Thieves at RecordStore.co.uk
