Saves The Day “Through Being Cool” (1999) Review

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.

Dogwood “Through Thick and Thin” (1997) Review

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.

Lagwagon “Let’s Talk About Feelings” (1998) Review

Lagwagon Let's Talk About Feelings CD Cover

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.

Mxpx “Life in General” (1996) Review

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 “Goldfinger” (1996) Review

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.

Kendrick Lamar “Good Kid, M.A.A.d city” (2012) Review

I was sitting in a cubicle in Los Angeles and overheard an argument about “Good Kid, M.A.A.d city”. One person said it was the best record of 2012, the other stated that there was something else, and I was just looking at escort ads. Cubicle land sucks unless you have headphones and an endless stream of music or comedy. I have always been lucky to be able to wear headphones, and that’s where I think Kendrick Lamar’s sophomore record is best heard. It’s a subdued record with many calming beats, interesting rhyme schemes, and something for every type of hip hop fan.

“Good Kid, M.A.A.d city” is a record you can’t just listen to and skip tracks. It’s a recording that requires you to sit still, put on headphones, and drift off into what the MC is saying. He’s telling stories from the hood, but it is not glorified at times, and it is not as gritty as some of the earlier 1990s hip hop that ran the gamut of offensive material. That’s not to say that there’s no street cred here, as it was produced in large part by Dr. Dre. You get a mix of styles, beats, and an eclectic blend of hip-hop tunes. It’s a solid release that I happen to go back to a great deal, even with a decade between us. I hope I don’t die in a cubicle job.

Pennywise “Unknown Road” (1993) Review

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.

Walls of Jericho “The Bound Feed The Gagged” (1999) Review

Walls of Jericho The Bound Feed The Gagged record cover

1999 a mix of hardcore and metal bands was getting much attention. One of the bands making a name for themselves by being left of center was that of Walls of Jericho. In 1999, the band would release their first studio record, “The Bound Feed The Gagged,” and they would mix genres to catch you off guard. The resulting disc is a mix of metal riffs with hardcore breakdowns and even punk rock shifting speed at times. Despite their name, the band is not religious, and pummels the listener with sing-along choruses and metallic onslaught at other times.

Production-wise, this is not the most polished of records, with the guitars feeling slightly off, but not terrible. The guitarwork is good, don’t get me wrong, but it sometimes overshadows the bass and drums, and is second only to the vocals, which are screamed. Candace’s vocals are spot on, hardcore, at times feminine, but with enough gusto that she doesn’t fit in one category, giving the band a little bit of a leg up in terms of their song structures. “The Bound Feed The Gagged” puts pressure on your brain from the opening track, “Playing Soldier Again”, through the rest of the tracks, all of which stand independently with heavy-hitting measures. “Home is where the heart is”, “Unwanted Resistance”, “Full Disclosure”, and more round out the record highs, with an onslaught of metallic music you’re going to either love or hate. Female-fronted hardcore? Well, this is certainly a good record.

Pick up this solid record from Walls of Jericho by clicking here.

Point of Recognition “The Admiration of a Son” (1999) Review

Point of Recognition the admiration of a son cd cover

There is a location east of Los Angeles, quite a ways, known as the Inland Empire. There was a time during the late 1990s and 2000s when a surge of straightedge and hardcore bands started to come through and begin to get noticed on a significant scale. It wasn’t just straightedge, however, it was also Christian bands that began to get a great deal of focus, including No Innocent Victim, As I Lay Dying, Dodgin Bullets, Cast in Stone, Torn in Two, and many others. In the mix of those bands was a band with dual singers called Point of Recognition. They would release their debut record, “The Admiration of a Son,” on Rescue Records in 1999 and hit the ground running.

The first significant thing you’ll notice about “The Admiration of a Son” is the production values. It’s an independent recording, and while Rescue Records put it out, you can tell that the budget wasn’t very high. That doesn’t matter regarding hardcore, metalcore, or even punk, and you can easily push it to the side. Once you put that aside, you get to the crux of the record: an up-and-down push through hardcore and metallic riffs.

The metalcore sound of “The Admiration of a Son” comes through with the riffs on every track, with sing-along choruses breaking up the screams from the dual singers. You’ll find a balancing act at play here, where neither one gets over the other, and while they sound similar, you can tell one has a deeper reach. Lyrically, this is an assault; it’s a tackling record of Christian themes, which may turn some off. However, if you look past that, you’ll find that “The Admiration of a Son” is a good overall example of the Southern California hardcore, metalcore sound that was alive and well in 1999 and through the 2000s. The record holds up well but is an acquired taste.

You owe it to yourself to stream or buy this masterpiece here.

The Pietasters “Awesome Mix tape Vol. 6” Review

The Pietasters Awesome Mix Tape Vol. 6 CD / Vinyl Cover

Ska is one of my favorite genres of music. Something just speaks to me when you mix guitars, drums, bass, and, of course, horn sections. There are so many outstanding records under that banner, but some get to be above and beyond that, becoming essential records to listen to. One of those records is the 1999 release “Awesome Mix tape Vol. 6” by the Pietasters. By the time the record was released, it was their fourth studio record. The band had gone through some shifts and turns, and would put out what would become one of my favorites overall.

The record starts a little slow, but then builds up to a good pop sense, with catchy choruses, instruments flowing like water, and vocals that are a bit raspy but still catchy overall. Aside from the stellar performances here, you’ll find that the bass guitar work stands out a lot, especially if you’re a fan of the instrument. Listen closely and you’ll hear walking bass lines, and a lot of rhythm to offset the horn-heavy, even punk-rock style moments.

“Awesome Mix tape Vol. 6” is a record meant to be listened to as a whole, as it goes through some great transitional moments. The first three tracks tell a compelling story, with love, regret, and more. “Crying Over You” is a perfect companion to “Yesterday’s Over”, and “Can’t Stand It” is good overall. Released in 1999 on Hellcat Records and produced by Bad Religion’s Brett Gurewitz, you’ll find it hard to put down “Awesome Mix Tape Vol. 6”, as it is very much a soul record as much as it is a ska record. It’s not fast, easy to listen to, and is made better with a good libation.

Do yourself a favor and buy or stream “Awesome Mix Tap Vol. 6″” by clicking here.