Tag: punk

The year was 1999, and while I was still trying to figure out and navigate high school, the band Saves the Day put out what could be one of the more essential records in the history of emo, pop punk, or whatever you’re going to want to classify this record as. Once again, I’m going to turn to the definition that was placed in Rolling Stone Magazine, which cited “Through Being Cool” as being a pop punk record, one of their top ones at that.

The second record from Saves The Day would show them slowing down, even though their first record said they couldn’t. Instead of a melodic hardcore punk sound, the band opted for something a bit more pop-influenced, and it worked. “Through Being Cool” features song after song of catchy tunes that mesh well together. The record just fits, and it comes together in 12 songs, 33 minutes, and is somewhat magical the way it works out. I’m not just waxing poetic about the record; it really is one of those records that you couldn’t help but listen to on multiple occasions. “Through Being Cool” is a melodic, rocking pop punk track that holds up very well. The record appears on numerous top 10 lists and top 50 lists if you delve deeper into the genre. I, for one, love “Through Being Cool” and recommend it heavily as part of your music collection, if you don’t already have it. I’m preaching to the choir, I’m sure.

Christian music doesn’t always get the notice it should. Stamp the label on any record, and people automatically shun it. That’s a shame, because there are some excellent records out there that don’t get enough love, and one of them is none other than “Through Thick and Thin” by the band Dogwood. Dogwood is a San Diego, California band that put out a slew of records and toured the country with Payable on Death, Project 86, and Slick Shoes, just to name a few. With the sophomore record, the band tightened up and created a record that stands tall today.

The opening track, “All Hands on Deck,” is going to push you into the skate punk sound of “Through Thick and Thin”, then the band puts things into melodic punk with “Preschool Days” and follows through with track after track of skateboard-infused punk rock. I was enthralled when I first heard the second track and saw a video for it. I immediately made comparisons to NOFX because of the vocal stylings.

Those who are atheist, agnostic, non-religious, or just don’t want to get preached to shouldn’t have to worry too much. While “Through Thick and Thin” has a perspective that differs from yours, the music speaks for itself and is good overall. Every track is riddled with punk rock, and stylistically, it can be compared to many new school punk rock that came out in the mid to late 1990s.

Melody and punk sometimes get a scoff, but it’s so good when done right. Lagwagon is one of those bands that tour with many bigger acts, but it always seems to get placed in the secondary slot rather than headlining stadiums alongside its counterparts. They have released many records, and with the 1998 release of “Let’s Talk About Feelings,” the band would solidify their place in the pop punk book that many compatriots land in.

Twelve tracks are found on the original release, with many B-sides and outtakes coming through on the re-release. However, the original still holds it down with metallic riffs at times, melodies that you can’t forget, and a focus on life in general. There’s a lot of back and forth with the sound sonically, recorded with that Fat Wreck Chords sound that was so prevalent in the 1990s. There’s a good polish to the record, and it’s a solid outing for the band that keeps pushing themselves to put out melody, punk, and rock ethos altogether. It’s a marriage of sound, good guitar work, and melody. I recommend it as one of the better examples of new school punk rock from the late 1990s. “Let’s Talk About Feelings” will not let you down amidst other poppy rock records you may have lying around.

Album number three from the Bremerton boys would be my entrance into punk rock. It was 1996, and the band was touring with Less Than Jake, opening up for their shows with the Hippos, and I got to see them live and in person. They played the Roxy in Hollywood, and the show was sold out. I got a scalped ticket and saw them play a 30-minute set, which included many tracks from this very record. “Life in General” is a staple for me because I bought the record on CD, cassette, and MP3, and still listen to it today via streaming. The band seemed unstoppable in their mix of pop and punk with “Life in General”, and that’s something that stays strong even today.

When people ask me to recommend records, I often cite this as my favorite in punk rock. The band would grow into a monster, shaking the dust off their Christian roots and becoming a more generalized band. The general audience is not a downside, as the band found ways to illustrate the record title with tracks that spoke to the whole of existence as a young person. To this day, “My Mom Still Cleans My Room”, “The Wonder Years”, “Doing Time”, and “Correct Me If I’m Wrong” stand tall amidst the growing-up phase, and yet they still ring accurate as an adult.

“Life in General” is one of the top iconic punk rock records you will want to listen to repeatedly. The band just solidified the skate punk, pop punk, and punk rock labels to fit into a classic that will not go away. No matter what, Mxpx punched their card to punk rock glory with the release of this record.

Goldfinger on the internet gets confused with the movie, which is not half bad, mind you, but I always get frustrated when looking for one and end up getting the other. The two are sometimes interchangeable, and the Wikipedia article also has a link to the soundtrack! But we are not here to talk about that; we are here to review the Goldfinger record “Goldfinger,” released on February 27, 1996.

A 13-year-old me went to the record store and picked up this record after hearing “Here in Your Bedroom” on KROQ. The bass-driven standard from the band really speaks to the singularity of the punk rock concept the band was pushing. The pop punk moniker is strong on this record, with much attention paid to the melody of sound rather than the raw guitar work. That’s not to say you don’t get that fast-paced variety, but you definitely get a sense of melody throughout. Of course, “Here in Your Bedroom” highlights this.

Overall, the record feels good, like a hug from a familiar friend. It doesn’t stray from any path, is different from other punk records from the same year, and still holds up well. “Mind’s Eye”, “King for a Day”, “Mable”, and so many other tracks on the record hold up really well and prove that they were on to something in 1996 that they are still holding onto in 2022. Feldman’s songwriting stands out, and you’ll love the melodies on the record.

Goldfinger’s “Goldfinger” is an introduction to a band that would expand their catalog with maturity, speed, and bravado over the years. My favorite track is the reggae-infused, ska melody-driven “King for a Day”, which truly features a change of pace from some of the other tracks found on this record. Listening over again, the bass line just speaks to me, and heck, lyrically, “making plans to rule the world, spread yourself way too thin, wishing that you were king….” Still says something.

It’s hard to imagine, but the band Pennywise has been around a long time, and they have been putting out quality punk records since their inception. The band would put out the melody-driven “Unknown Road” in 1993, and while I don’t always include them in the term pop punk, once again, Rolling Stone said they were, and well, I’m not going to argue for the sake of writing a review.

The record is heavy-handed, hard-hitting, and straightforward in its approach to punk rock; the four-piece really delivers when it comes to the craft. There’s just something biting to the music, and while it has a sense of pop at times, it leans heavily into the skate punk, hardcore world with metallic riffs. That’s not to say that there’s no pop here; there’s plenty, including sing-along vocals at times, and slower tempos here and there. Overall, however, “Unknown Road” is one of the better records to come out of Southern California, and in 1993, there’s no finer example of the sound than that of Pennywise. Stand out tracks are all over the place, but my favorite, if I had to pick one, is “Time To Burn”, one of my all-time favorite songs from the band.

With 13 tracks and 33 minutes, the band puts their best foot forward and still puts out quality music. “Unknown Road” might be older, wiser, and hard to pigeonhole into pop punk, but it certainly has a lot of elements that make it sound great and, dare I say, poppy. It’s a solid record to have as part of your punk collection, that’s for sure.

Before punk broke out into the mainstream and before many bands got airplay on the radio, a few bands were playing pop-infused punk rock, and one of them, of course, was Screeching Weasel. The boys mixed pop influences with rock and roll, giving you frenetic-paced music without losing much to vocals. With the recording of “My Brain Hurts,” you get Screeching Weasel at their finest, before all the controversies clouded the band. There’s a snarl to the vocals you don’t get with modern releases, and the band played steadily through 14 songs and nearly 30 minutes of music.

“My Brain Hurts” sometimes feels like a Ramones album, and it is a credit to the band. Playing Ramones-esque music is not as easy as it seems, especially regarding sheer numbers and longevity regarding the tracks and themes. Screeching Weasel manages to channel The Ramones, the Clash, and others from the past to create a rocking record that doesn’t get enough attention amidst the heavyweights of pop punk.

Sure, it was 1991, and the term pop punk wasn’t just thrown around swiftly, but what else can I say about a record with such a sing-along attitude, 3-chords of progression, and that classic Ramones feeling? It’s a solid record from a band that has put in a lot of work to get to where they are, even if it is sometimes just bad. “My Brain Hurts” is a genre classic that holds up very well today, as in 1991. “Making You Cry”, “Guest List”, “Veronica Hates Me”, and much more greet you with a classic Weasel sound.

Pick up the original release of “My Brain Hurts” by clicking here, sucka!

Returning to 1997, we find the pop punk world exploding with various bands. The era was full of musical talent, and Slick Shoes was one of the many bands to come out. I was first introduced to the band with their raw self-titled EP, which showcased an introduction to the punk rock act. It was raw, unfinished, with a bit of static here and there. Then came a semi-sonic shift for the band in the form of their debut record for Tooth and Nail Records, “Rusty”.

“Rusty” came out in 1997 and immediately hit the ground running, largely thanks to the fact that people bought anything Tooth and Nail released. I bought everything on the label, no matter what it was, and found joy in every single release up to a certain point in my life. Slick Shoes plays skate punk, pop punk, and straightforward punk rock with fast, frenetic guitar work and excellent attention to drumming. They are influenced by the bands you would find in the punk rock bins, and somehow find a way to stand out.

The only hindrance the band had, if any, was that the singer was underage at the time of recording and touring, and the band was stuck at times in the Christian scene. That isn’t a detriment, but it happened, and well, they had several records out before they got mainstream success. They eventually tore with Face to Face, Mxpx, and many others. “Rusty” has 16 tracks, and is 37 minutes long, with each song complementing the others in a record that has no downtime, and little to no lackluster tracks. This is a gem of a record to which you owe your time.

Feel like streaming or even playing the record on vinyl? Click here to jump into “Rusty”.