Tuesday, April 30, 2013

4.18.13

On April 18th I listened to NOFX Punk In Drublic and Face To Face Face To Face, and Three Chords & A Half Truth.


NOFX was never “my band.” I think if I was younger, I might have been attracted to their sound. But, by the time I got wind of them when they released the wonderfully titled White Trash, Two Heebs And A Bean,  I was a big man of the world and a very mature 21-years-old. Not really, but NOFX’s brand of goofball Punk Rock wasn't for me. Sure, I love the Dead Milkmen, but I started listening to them when I was 14, and I’m not even sure you can really compare the two.

I’m definitely not saying I don’t like NOFX, I just wasn't part of their scene. Punk In Drublic was released in 1994 and there was an avalanche of fucking awesome music released that year. I was riding high on the Alt Rock wave and NOFX wasn't on my radar. Oddly enough, I absolutely love Me First And The Gimme Gimmes, which features NOFX’s Fat Mike.

I picked this album, because it’s the band’s most successful release. It’s somewhat fun. I didn't hate listening to it, but I also don’t have the time to give it, to really “get it.” I liked “Dig” for some reason and kept going back to it.

The one thing that I always loved about NOFX is their integrity. They made music for the fans and didn't give a shit about anything else. Interviews, videos, major labels and selling out were all never a part of their agenda.


The only thing I knew from Face To Face prior to Face To Face was the song “Disconnected,” which was on both of their first two albums.

Face To Face was usually a one or two song an album band for me. When this one came out in 1996, I’d listen to “Ordinary” and “I Won’t Lie Down” and not much else. So, I wanted to go back and give the whole disc another shot.

There’re a couple other good tracks here that I was ignoring. I never really compared Face To Face with Bad Religion, but the album’s opener “Resignation” has a definite Bad Religion vibe. “Walk The Walk” is a keeper. I definitely remember “Everything’s Your Fault,” and I’m pissed I probably haven’t heard it since the 90’s.

When I got my first MP3 player in 2000, a 5G Nomad Jukebox, it only fit 1,500 songs, so I had to make a lot of concessions. I only ripped the two songs I liked from this disc and never looked back and I did that with probably a hundred other albums.

The major problem with a lot of band’s like Fact To Face and NOFX is, outside a few little pieces of flair here and there, most of the songs sound way too much alike. But, it’s the themes and passion, conviction or humor put into the lyrics that keep us interested. I dunno, maybe?


I like the first song, “123 Drop.” Everything else seemed forced, misguided, or just boring. Sorry Face To Face.

No comments:

Post a Comment