Albums With Only One Good Song

[5_moves_of_doom 0]

Yeah, Sparta is totally unoriginal. I had to sit through their set at Coachella. Terrible, terrible stuff.

[Guest Syxx]

Wow, again I am surprised, I guess that I am just used to discussing music on a punk board and not used to the backlash here. I know that there are a lot of metal fans so I should have been more prepared. BTW I think that Sparta puts on a better live show than Volta does. I would like your opinions on the following five bands:

 

1. NOFX

2. Pennywise

3. Shadows Fall

4. Shai Hulud

5. Iron Maiden

[Giuseppe Zangara 0]

Sparta is punk?

[Anorak 0]

American Idiot is mostly pretty good. Pitchfork normally shits on bands like Green Day but I was pleasantly surprised to see an almost spot-on review (they gave it 7. something). 'Boulevard Of Broken Dreams and Wake Me Up When September Ends' are plodding lows for me but most of the rest most of the rest of the album (especially the second half of the where they pull the strands together surprisingly well) is either decent/good.

 

The two long tracks couldn't be described as amazingly sophisticated patchworks of sound or anything but they allow the band to pull off simple but tight sketches of story which they prove able follow through successfully. The most undervalued album album remains 'Kerplunk'. Apart from 1 silly comedy song and a couple of filler tracks left over from earlier recordings near the album's end it's one of the most endearingly adolescent pop-punk records you'll hear.

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

Wow, again I am surprised, I guess that I am just used to discussing music on a punk board and not used to the backlash here. I know that there are a lot of metal fans so I should have been more prepared. BTW I think that Sparta puts on a better live show than Volta does. I would like your opinions on the following five bands:

 

1. NOFX

2. Pennywise

3. Shadows Fall

4. Shai Hulud

5. Iron Maiden

Actually, none of those guys are metal fans. Nor am I, and I find Sparta dull as well. It's very straightforward, plain, and pretty much unmoving.

 

Of the bands you mentioned, NOFX, Pennywise, and Shai Hulud are fun when you're 14, while Shadows Fall is uninspiring and reminds me too much of Metallica. Iron Maiden I know very little about, and probably wouldn't care to.

[Guest Syxx]

I agree Kerplunk was my favorite Green Day record until Nimrod came out. As for Sparta they are not punk per se, but are widely embraced in the punk community. Take a jaunt over to punknews.org and check out the reviews of "Wiretap Scars" to get a good idea of how much the community loves them. Also punkvideos.org has a great Sparta performance of "Breaking the Broken" from Letterman to download if anyone wants to get a better taste for these guys.

[moral suasion 0]

NOFX are my second favorite punk band. I disagree about them being fun when you are fourteen. Fatty writes some of the most progressive and complicated music within the genre. I think they get comments like "fun when 14" because he often writes funny lyrics. There is no denying how much influence they have had on up and coming bands within the california punk scene. I think that most punk singers try and immitate Fattys vocal style. Some of my favorte songs are The Death of John Smith, Falling in Love, Happy Guy, and We Got 2 Jealous Agains.

 

But more than any other song, I think that anyone who wants to have a legitimate opinion on the punk rock scene needs to hear The Decline. It epitomizes so many things that I love about music. It is extremely poetic and beautiful to listen to and it motivates me as a person. Whether you like it or not, you should at least know that it exists. It deserves having an opinion on.

[Guest Syxx]

Totally agree. Though they have hurt their credibility and widespread appeal by resorting to putting a few joke tunes on every album, you can't put an age limit on some of the classics that they have been able to put out. As Suasion said tunes like: "The death of John Smith", "The Decline", "It's my job to keep punk rock elite', "The black and white", "Stickin in my eye", and "Don't call me white" can be enjoyed no matter if you are 14 or 34. These guys changed the sound of punk rock and even if you don't like them you have to respect their impact on music. I haven't been too keen on their politically charged new stuff but they have made many great albums in the past and must be remembered for that. Also Pennywise: "Unknown Road, "About Time", and the S/T will also be timeless classics.

 

Suasion, did you like "The empire strikes first"? Also I screwed up the link in my last post, the Sparta video is at punkrockvids.com

[moral suasion 0]

Suasion, did you like "The empire strikes first"?

Yeah I do. I have thought a lot about it, and right now, I consider it my favorite Bad Religion album. You just can't beat songs like Sinister Rouge, God's Love, Beyond Electric Dreams, and Let Them Eat War. This is probably an unpopular decision among most BR fans, who would probably say No Control or Suffer as thier favorite, but I am most into thier more recent progressive stuff. (I would put The Process of Belief as my second favorite BR album.)

 

It is so difficult comparing eras of BR music. The band and thier music have changed so much and I love all the music that has come with those changes. Like we were talking earlier on Green Day: being an artist is about growth and progress and I think BR illustrates that point perfectly. (I am even a fan of the Atlantic years, and specifically, No Substance, which is widely regared as the worst BR album, even by Graffin himself)

 

Don't get me wrong though, I love thier old stuff as well. I think that they wrote some of the most epic and important music to come out of the early 90s. I consider Greg Graffin to me one of the most influential people on me as a person and an artist. I look at his stuff objectively, but his melding of thought, insight, and poetry is amazing along with his talent at song writing.

 

My top 5 BR albums: The Empire Strikes First, The Process of Belief, No Control, Suffer, Recipe for Hate.

[moral suasion 0]

I forgot to mention my favorite non-Decline NOFX song: We Threw Gasoline on the Fire and Now We Have Stumps for Arms and No Eyebrows. I think that is the title. It is something simmilar to that. It was originally on Punk O Rama 3, but now it is on 45 or 46 as well.

 

I really really like it when punkers comment on the punk rock movement and when happened to it. I especially like this song because Fat Mike puts some of the blame on himself and talks about what he did wrong. And the music for the song is fucking amazing. I really consider this song, as well as Jaw, Knee, Music (off Rock Against Bush I), as memoirs from Fat Mike, which for me, make them very personal and interesting.

 

And regarding your "joke tunes" comment:

 

I agree, thier last few albums have hurt some of thier credability. But I think that most of the joke tunes have some very good points to make:

 

Clams Have Feelings Too - animal rights

My Vagina - transgender rights

Heroajuna - the failing drug war

She's Nubs - the idea that anyone at all can be punk. punk is not a exclusive thing

We Got 2 Jealous Agains - this is one of my all time favorite love songs

Mattersville, Theme from a NOFX album, 13 stiches - memoir songs as mentioned earlier

Anarchy Camp - the 2 party system is so dominant that other political ideas are off the map to the point of being in the "woods"

Hobophobic - the way homeless people are treated

 

 

There are some that have no relevance, but I think that even the funny ones have good commentary.

[Guest Syxx]

Hobophobic was great, and HPZ in general is one of my favorite Nofx albums. This is how I have it ranked:

 

1. White Trash

2. SLATFATS

3. Heavy Petting Zoo

4. Ribbed

5. Punk In Drublic

6. Pump up the Valuum

7. War on Errorism

8. Liberal Animation

 

As for BR, I can't believe that you didn't include "Against the Grain" on your list. For me, that and "Stranger than Fiction" were notable omissions from your list. Process of Belief is regarded as better than The Empire by most BR fans, but again I am with you, I liked the latter better. I have to disagree on one point though, No Substance is terrible. Where do you stand on Lagwagon, No Use for a Name, MxPx, and the Vandals?

[moral suasion 0]

NOFX albums:

 

1. SLATFATS

2. Punk in Drublic

3. White Trash

4. Errorism

5. Zoo

6. Valuum

7. Ribbed

8. S & M

9. Liberal Animation

 

I heard they suck live, 45 or 46, and The Longest Line EP are awesome as well but dont count as actual albums. You heard thier new greatest hits album? I havnt picked it up yet but there is a new track on it. I have read the track listing.....its OK...they could have done better.

 

As for BR, I would concede to the argument that Against the Grain should be on the list. As as overall album, it probably is better than recipe for Hate. RFH is actually quite a hit or miss album. Hits - American Jesus, Recipe for Hate, Skyscraper, Lookin in, Watch it Die. Misses - Kerosene, Portrait of Authority, My Poor Friend Me. Its just that the hits are so awesome. Gimme your top 5 BR albums.

 

Lagwagon - Solid as hell. I am a Lets Talk about Feelings fan.

 

No Use - Awesome. One of the best live acts I have ever seen. More betterness and Leche con Carne are fantastic albums. Thier last album, Hard Rock Bottom, was a huge let down, but I have confidence that they can rebound. Thier cover songs on each album are very well done.

 

MxPx - dont know them at all. all I have heard is a few songs on comps. And people have told me that they are a straight edge christain punk band.

 

Vandals - Awesome. Hitler Bad, Vandals Good is a kick ass album. I saw them live at Warped tour this year. They were excellent.

[Myxamatosis 0]

Yeah, Sparta is totally unoriginal. I had to sit through their set at Coachella. Terrible, terrible stuff.

Me too. That was almost unbearable at times.

 

Everyone wanted the Pixies after a long, hot day and we got that.

[Guest Syxx]

Wow I can't believe that I forgot about S & M Airlines on my list. I would rank it number 7 by the way. Funny story about that album, when I was 16 I was listening to that album (I believe it was on Mean People Suck) and my friend was knocking on my door bringing two girls over. When I opened the door my friend stepped inside to talk to me before the girls came in (shutting the door on them). He said "What are you listening to? Is this even music? If you don't turn this crap off we are going to scare off the girls". So being the 16 year old that I was, I turned it off. As for BR albums, I will give my top 10:

 

1. Recipe for hate

2. Stranger than fiction

3. Against the grain

4. The empire strikes first

5. No Control

6. The Gray Race

7. Generator

8. Suffer

9. The process of belief

10. No Substance

 

 

Dude, you should check out MxPx: "Life in General", or "Teenage Politics", Christian or not, these are two awesome albums, and if you are into the same type of bands that I am (90's Fat Wreck, Epitaph stuff), than I am almost positive that you will enjoy them.

[Henry Spencer 0]

Steering this thread away from the surreal and oddly hilarious NOFX circle jerk:

 

First Of The Gang To Die is the only really good song on Morrissey's new album. That might have been mentioned already.

[Giuseppe Zangara 0]

As long as there are 13-year-olds, there will be new NOFX fans.

[rising up out of the back seat-nuh 0]

Wow, again I am surprised, I guess that I am just used to discussing music on a punk board and not used to the backlash here. I know that there are a lot of metal fans so I should have been more prepared. BTW I think that Sparta puts on a better live show than Volta does. I would like your opinions on the following five bands:

 

1. NOFX

2. Pennywise

3. Shadows Fall

4. Shai Hulud

5. Iron Maiden

Only just seen this thread.

 

1) Volta live > Sparta live

 

2) You have the worst taste in music if that's what you listen to.

[Guest Syxx]

Don't listen to Shai Hulud, Shadows Fall, or Maiden, just wanted to help my conceptualization of this board's tastes. Additionally, if you accuse me of having the worst taste in music for liking NOFX or Pennywise two bands that helped define the Sk8 Punk genre of the mid 90's than I am proudly guilty. I am eager to hear your critical analysis of how liking albums such as SLATFATS, Unknown Road, Pennywise S/T, or The Decline equates having the worst taste in music. Enlighten me.

[rising up out of the back seat-nuh 0]

Skate punk is one of the most vacuous forms of music ever. The fact it's got it's own short-hand in sk8 shows it's aimed at people to dumb to spell a word of five letters. Sure it's a generalisation, and some of it's been done okay, but it's ultimately disposable music for disposable people. It's pop. It's in one ear and out the other. And it's not fucknig punk.

 

NOFX and Pennywise are good. If you've never had any exposure to allternatie music of other types before. Emotionally, musically and lyrically they have no real depth when you compare it to the myriad of other bands out there. They're just shallow. I've heard a shitload of skate punk, and NOFX/Pennywise in my time (Portsmouth's a slacker town). I couldn't give you a critical analysis of those albums, all I could tell you is that I've heard them and no part of them made me want to hear them again. If I want fast bouncy music I'll listen to two tone, if I want catchy tunes with crap lyrics I'll listen to pop, if I want to listen to something alternative with energy, I'll listen to hip-hop, if I want something to dance to in a club I'll listen to drum & bass. Skate punk has nothing that other genres don't do better.

 

Everybody I've ever met who's into skate punk and proud of it has had the worst taste in music. For example, I've never met anyone who like's skate punk and northern soul, or hip-hop, or pop. They all like crap eighties hair metal.

 

Please explain to me why you like those bands, and I'll try and tip you off onto something better. I will cure you.

[B. Brian Brunzell 0]

First Of The Gang To Die is the only really good song on Morrissey's new album. That might have been mentioned already.

I don'tknow. it's a good song, but I also think "Irish Blood, English Heart" is really fucking good.

[Guest Syxx]

Sterling, while I appreciate your analysis I have to admit, I couldn't disagree with it more. Firstly, skate punk is a very interesting hybrid of heavy guitars, fast drums, and harmonies. It takes different styles of music and mashes them all together to form an intense and enjoyable sound.

 

Music is a subjective form of entertainment but I can tell you that liking bands such as Pennywise and NOFX is nothing to be ashamed of. You come off as an elitist (a gimmick that I gave up when I turned 18) by referring to these 2 bands as non-punk. Honestly, I don't how you can backup that statement. These are two bands that refused to sign to a major, and have made a career out of staying underground, one even started a successful punk label ala Brett-Epitaph-from BR. They are the epitomy of the word "punk" as there is a high quantity of lyrics concerning social justice in their music, and they have never changed their style just to appease critics and the mainstream. I guess if you don't consider bands like Bad Religion and Rancid punk then I can see where you are coming from, it's just that I have never heard anyone call those bands "not punk". What's punk to you anyway...Northern Soul?

 

As for your comment about skate punk fans not having a diverse set of music taste, again I disagree. I still buy the occasional Hip-Hop cd and I still appreciate artists like Kurupt, Daz, The Pharcyde, The Roots, Snoop Dogg, D.O.C., Mobb Deep, and Rakim. I mean if we want to talk about disposable music for disposable people why don't we cite two of the genres that you listed: Hip Hop and Pop. 92% of mainstream Hip-Hop is garbage and exists for the sheer purpose of marketing white suburban kids "thug in a bottle". Yes, the underground is home to better artists, but the amount of crap on top is way heavier than the amount of bad bands in the skate punk genre (and don't claim that bands like Simple Plan, and GC are skate punk because you know they are not). As for Pop, what bands or artists do you consider Pop? Because I would like to give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you are not talking about the garbage they play on the radio.

[rising up out of the back seat-nuh 0]

My arguement that you had the worst taste in music, was based on the idea that those five bands were your reccommended listening. Thankfully that's not the case.

 

I still think skate punk sucks. I don't consider them punk, because punk to me is a completely different form of music, that has it's modern day roots in art rock or even emo or hip-hop. Music delivered with the maximum emotion and feeliing. Skate punk is closer to ska than punk, and has very littl in common with 70's punk than the look. While I appreciate your arguement that they have a punk attitude for not selling out, they also have a very linnear back catalogue with little artistic growth, which is just as bad IMHO. And how do you define selling out? Every band does it to some degree, even if it's just as putting the catchiest song as a single instead of the best one.

 

When I talk about the diverse taste of skate punk fans, I mean that people are either skate punk fans, or don't like it. It's very rare that someone who is primarily an indie kid or hip-hop fan will like any skate punk at all. You either love it, to the point of dismissing most other forms of music out of hand, or are ambivalent. You may like other forms of music, but from my experience you're the exception rather than the rule. As for hip-hop and pop, again it generally sucks, but so does any popular form of music. That doesn't mean it can be discounted. The great artists, such as Jay-Z or Outkast, or great songs, such as Crazy In Love or Junior Senior's Move Your Feet, far outweigh anything the skate punk genre has thrown up. It's too restrained, there's no genre crossing. If I put on a Pennywise or NOFX album, I generally know what I'm going to hear.

 

The things you're into can be found done far better by The Libertines or The Walkmen IMHO.

 

It could be worse though. You could like Iron Maiden...

[moral suasion 0]

Sterling, where do you get this term "skate punk"? Can you be a little bit more specific about this sub-genre. I have done a lot of reading and have not come across it.

 

I am curious because I am doing writing my senoir thesis on the social history of the punk rock movement.

[Guest Syxx]

I was the one who used it first so I accept responsibility. The term was popularized (at least here in Canada) in the mid 90's. It is called skate punk because it was the type of music that skaters would listen to when skateboarding. It encompasses fatwreck bands, and bands such as pennywise and other punk bands that you would be likely to find on 90's skate videos.

[EricMM 0]

sterling, you're waaaaaaaaay off the mark with this one.

 

I won't try and call NOFX great musicians, but comparing "skate punk" if that's what it's called to general pop music is stupid.

 

Especially comparing it to the "energetic" "alternative" hip-hop. First of all, most hip hop I've heard except for southern stuff has far less energy than punk. And there are some fast paced hip hop songs. But not many. And fewer that are good. Please PLEASE give names for the energetic hip hop.

 

And do NOT call it "alternative" As far as I'm concerned, where I come from, hip hop and RnB are the mainstream. Along with your average pop top 40 stations, which play a lot of Hip hop anyways. Certainly a lot more than they play NOFX or Pennywise, or anyone like them.

[Guest Syxx]

EricMM-Don't worry. I stopped debating Sterling the moment I realized that he was an S CLUB fan (I am not kidding by the way).

[rising up out of the back seat-nuh 0]

sterling, you're waaaaaaaaay off the mark with this one.

 

I won't try and call NOFX great musicians, but comparing "skate punk" if that's what it's called to general pop music is stupid.

 

Especially comparing it to the "energetic" "alternative" hip-hop. First of all, most hip hop I've heard except for southern stuff has far less energy than punk. And there are some fast paced hip hop songs. But not many. And fewer that are good. Please PLEASE give names for the energetic hip hop.

 

And do NOT call it "alternative" As far as I'm concerned, where I come from, hip hop and RnB are the mainstream. Along with your average pop top 40 stations, which play a lot of Hip hop anyways. Certainly a lot more than they play NOFX or Pennywise, or anyone like them.

Heh heh.

 

Skate punk is pop to a large degree. It's bubblegum, disposable music, often arrowed at the lowst rung. Nobody is going to consider any of these bands or albums as classics or deminal in the future. They're the soundtrack to a summer, but to expect it to change your life or to be your everything is just naive.

 

And as for your arguement that few hip-hop songs are energetic and that it's all mainstream? Well, funnily enough, the energetic stuff is the alternative. For example, stuff like the much touted Madvillain and Deltron albums have more energy and passion in a slow rap than an album of fast skate punk. Energy doen't mean fast, it means filled with energy. Maybe that's where you're gong wrong. Listen to "Fix Up Look Sharp" by Dizzee Rascal for a perfect example of a slow rap that's energetic.

[godthedog 0]

coltrane's 'ascension' only has one good song on it.

[Giuseppe Zangara 0]

I'm glad you waited this long into the thread to say that.

[rising up out of the back seat-nuh 0]

EricMM-Don't worry. I stopped debating Sterling the moment I realized that he was an S CLUB fan (I am not kidding by the way).

What the hell's wrong with S Club?

 

The trio of singles from Don't Stop Moving through Have You Ever to You is one of the finest runs of boy/girl pop music. They also did the great Reach, which is perfect pop music.

 

And S Club Juniors/8 have had two truly great pop singles in New Direction and Fool No More, both of which stand up to any pop song I can think of.

 

It's great catchy pop with no pretences. There is absolutely nothing wrong with it.