Making A Case For NOFX (by Lee Morton and Brett Coomer)

Here's part three of our new series – Making A Case For. In this series, two of the CPRW team take a classic punk rock band and put forward their argument as to why their choice of album is the band’s best. Today, Lee and Brett nominate the best NOFX album.

Making A Case For Punk In Drublic (Lee Morton)

Cast your mind back to 1994, the grunge era is on its last legs and nu-metal is just taking off. Both Green Day and The Offspring have broken punk into the mainstream conscious with the release of “Dookie” and “Smash” respectively and DIY punks NOFX released their fifth, and still their most successful album to date, “Punk In Drublic”.

Against the introverted grunge scene and toxic masculinity of nu-metal, the juvenile humour mixed with short, sharp hook laden tracks that make up “Punk In Drublic” was a much needed adrenaline shot in the arm of the DIY punk scene. Streamlining the more hardcore punk of their earlier releases, this album, more than any others since, truly captures the spirit of NOFX and laid the template for all their future albums.

With sales in excess of 1 million copies worldwide, despite limited radio play or music TV coverage, it is one of the most successful independent album releases of all-time and effectively saved Epitaph Records as well as ensuring the growth of Fat Wreak Chords, with both labels becoming synonymous with mid-90s punk.

If the numbers aren’t enough to justify this as their greatest release, then what about the songs? One look at the track-listing and it reads like a greatest hits set, which in effect is what it is. Fan favourites such as “Linoleum”, “Leave It Alone” and “The Brews” are live constants and almost perfect punk songs, but dig deeper and there’s plenty of meat to get your teeth into with racism in their sights on “Don’t Call Me White” and “The Brews” whilst politics get shot down too with “Perfect Government”.

In fact, “Perfect Government” paved the way for NOFX to become more political with future releases, such as “The Decline” which Brett will wax lyrically about but the fact is, would they have even made that record without the foundations laid down in “Punk In Drublic”?

The influence that this record has made on other bands is without question, having inspired many good, and not so good bands, to pick up instruments but by also incorporating ska and reggae into their sound they helped keep the flames of these genres burning during some lean years.

Now, if none of this helps convince you that this was their finest hour then I shall leave the last word to guitarist El Hefe, who told the Associated Press in 2014 that “to me, that was our best album” so if he thinks that then it must be true.

Making A Case For The Decline (Brett Coomer)

In 1999, NOFX was one of the biggest punk bands on the planet that wasn’t being played on mainstream radio or TV and had been together for over 15 years. So one would expect the band to release an album with more of the same short, fast, snotty punk songs that built their establishment. Instead, according to the band they had “done enough short songs, time for a long one” and at 18-and-a-bit minutes ‘The Decline’ is definitely the longest song in the band’s catalogue and one of the longest punk songs ever recorded.

‘The Decline’ is only one song, but it has more dynamics and musical nuance than a lot of albums made up of 9 or more 2-plus minute songs. The song starts off as any normal NOFX song would, with some bass chords ringing out over a fast hi-hat beat, and very quickly makes you think of a typical punk rock song. But, with the help of some seamless key and time signature changes throughout its 18 minutes, ‘The Decline’ takes the listener on a journey through what can only be described as movements, each with its own distinct feel, while still contributing to and staying consistent with the theme. It never shies too far away from the NOFX sound though, featuring all of the characteristics you’d expect on any NOFX album: blazingly fast drum beats, frantic but fluent bass lines, awesome yelling backing vocals from Eric Melvin, and a number of guitar solos from El Hefe. Much like the music, the lyrics tell a few different stories and offer a range of attacks, both metaphorical and blatant, on the state of the American government, policies and the general decline of society. All themes that are mostly still valid today.

Choosing a single favourite album from a band like NOFX with such a large catalogue of music is always going to be a challenge. I’m almost positive that if you surveyed everyone at a NOFX concert you’d get a bunch of votes for each of their albums (maybe with the exception of Liberal Animation) with perhaps two or three outliers like Punk In Drublic, Wolves in Wolves Clothing, and So Long And Thanks for All The Shoes, which are all really great albums and worthy of the praise but they all still have one flaw in common: filler.

The question may be asked: Is it a song? Is it a punk rock opera? Is it an EP? Is it an album? Who cares. Whichever label you’d like to place on ‘The Decline’ by NOFX, it takes nothing away from the fact that it is an impressive piece of music released by one of the most prolific, divisive, and infamous bands of modern punk rock and remains an achievement of epic proportions even 21 years after it was first released.

P.S. The vinyl is more than just one song, as the B-side features a demo version of a more traditional length and sounding NOFX song, perhaps to remind everyone that the band hadn’t completely lost touch with their short fast punk roots.

This feature was written by Lee Morton and Brett Coomer.

Making A Case For: Against Me! (by Colin Clark and Emma Prew)

Here's part two of our new series – Making A Case For. In this series, two of the CPRW team take a classic punk rock band and put forward their argument as to why their choice of album is the band’s best. Today, Colin and Emma nominate the best Against Me! album.

Making A Case For Reinventing Axl Rose (Colin Clark)

I think that Against Me! are one of the hardest bands to pick a best album by and then convince somebody else why. I think there's a very good chance that the person you're talking to has a strong opinion on a different album. It's also difficult, as Against Me! fans, perhaps more so than fans of any other band, could easily be divided into different eras such is the journey that the band have been on in the past twenty plus years. Starting out as a acoustic folk act playing in cafés, signing to No Idea Records and then Fat Wreck Chords and becoming a full band act, signing to a major label and getting some mainstream exposure and then the current Against Me!. I personally fall into the No Idea/Fat Wreck era of Against Me! fandom and that's my favourite era of the Gainesville band.

This neatly brings me round to my favourite AM! album, Reinventing Axl Rose. Released in 2002 by No Idea Records, this was their debut full length and it takes five acoustic songs from the band’s first EPs and gives them the full band treatment and also includes six brand new songs. I know that, at the time, the band’s early hardcore following gave them some grief about firstly signing to a label and then secondly for becoming a full electric band. I guess there was a feeling that they might lose the raw magic that the band’s early recordings and live shows encapsulated. When the album was released, of course the production values were higher than on those early releases but the band managed to retain that raw style. The rawness of this record is a big reason of why I think it's the best. If you were to argue that the songs on Axl Rose aren't as strong as they are on Cowboy or Transgender I might agree with you but they don't feature the incredible energy that comes from this album. It's always difficult to capture the feeling you get from a live performance on record but, with the help of producer Rob McGregor, Against Me! managed it.

For me, the overall theme of Axl Rose is about raging against the man and the overall sound of the album makes you want to do it together. Each song has this sing-along quality and is littered with quality lyrics that inspire and make you want to throw your fists in the air. The choruses in particular have some awe inspiring gang vocals that bring people together in a big sing-along. A big part of punk rock throughout history is its ability to bring people who feel oppressed together and these songs have been doing that for almost twenty years. These are still the songs that I get most excited for when is see AM! live. These are the songs that I scream my throat hoarse to every single time. They give me this fantastic feeling that's hard to explain but it's pretty bloody special. That's why Reinventing Axl Rose is the best Against Me! album.

Making A Case For As The Eternal Cowboy (Emma Prew)

It is often the case with a band that the first album you hear by them – the one that hooks you in and makes you a fan – remains your favourite of their albums. It’s not always like that with me but that’s how I feel about Against Me!. However, let me start by saying that I don’t dislike anything that Against Me! have put out over their illustrious 23 year career as a band. I have favourite songs on all of their albums in their back catalogue. But it is their second album, As The Eternal Cowboy, that has stuck with me and remains my favourite to this day. I suppose this feature, Making A Case For, is supposed to be more about the album being ‘the best’ and not just my personal favourite but that’s okay because Cowboy covers both bases.

For me, As The Eternal Cowboy is the perfect bridge between the pure rawness of their debut album, Reinventing Axl Rose, and the slightly more polished sound of Searching For A Former Clarity, the band’s third album. (The latter being probably my second favourite Against Me! album but it still doesn’t come close to Cowboy.) Against Me! also retain a distinct element of their ‘folk punk’ sound on Cowboy which is what attracted me to the band in the first place – finding punk rock through the more country and/or folk-sounding punk bands first of all.

Folk punk aside, As The Eternal Cowboy is a blisteringly fast-paced punk rock album with 11 tracks, including an excellent instrumental interlude (A Brief Yet Triumphant Intermission), in just 25 minutes. It’s their shortest album but that’s okay because you can just stick it on repeat. From the memorable opening lines ‘The party’s over…’ of the first track on the album, T.S.R. (This Shit Rules), to the stripped back and yet oh so catchy break-up song, Cavalier Eternal, that closes the album. Of course, Cowboy also features plenty of fan favourites that the band still regularly play live such as Cliché Guevara, Mutiny On The Electronic Bay and Rice And Bread. Plus, who could forget Sink, Florida, Sink?! If you’ve seen Against Me! live (and if you haven’t, why the hell not?) then you’ll know that the whoa-oh-ohs are pretty much the loudest part of crowd participation at one of their gigs. Fans can often be heard singing it as they leave the venue.

As The Eternal Cowboy has been described by Laura Jane Grace as being a concept album of sorts, ‘that explores love and war’ with the eternal cowboy character being prevalent throughout the album – someone ‘forever wandering, lost and alone’. Whether you take that away from listening to the album is irrelevant however because, either way, this is an incredible album by an incredible band.

Whilst contemplating and writing this piece, I decided that Against Me! are basically the best punk band of all time and I stand by that statement – As The Eternal Cowboy proves it.

This feature was written by Colin Clark and Emma Prew.

Making A Case For: Hot Water Music (by Richard Mair and Omar Ramlugon)

Welcome to a new regular feature here at CPRW, where you get to see an insight into the regular debates and discussions about the high points of various band’s careers. Often such debates start with a suggestion that ‘x’ album is better than ‘y’ with all manner of reasons thrown into the mix to support the viewpoint that a certain album is the most essential release from their back catalogue.

So, the way this works is we have given an ardent campaigner for an album the chance to put 300–500 words together on why said album is their favourite and a fellow contributor makes the case for an alternative… it’s then over to you dear readers in the comments to help us decide who made the best case!

This week Richard and Omar go head to head with the heavyweight albums by Hot Water Music, with Richard Making The Case For No Division and Omar Caution.

Making A Case For No Division (Richard Mair)

Now no doubt Omar has put a compelling argument forward for the excellent “Caution”, sure it has the big hitters of Wayfarer and Remedy but aside from that it’s just a good album. That’s not a criticism; I truly love “Caution” and agree it’s iconic but, compared to one of the finest emo/post-hardcore albums of all time, it just feels too safe and certainly not quite at the level of their first “great” album.

No Division is that great album. Imagine it’s August 1999. The punk rock airwaves are full of Blink 182 singing about not growing up and aliens, New Found Glory and Saves The Day are unleashing pop infused emo songs on us and the ever reliable AFI have gone dark on Punk Rock. Out of nowhere the gravel throated roar of Chuck Ragan starts singing of unity, freedom and equality over amazingly technical melodies and we finally have a band with something relevant to say and the ability to set it to the most gorgeous soundtrack. No Division personally remains the finest Hot Water Music album for the simple reason that it’s their most creative album; this is where a band truly found their voice.

Opening songs Southeast First and Free Radio Gainesville are arguably the most iconic salvo to introduce an album, from the cheerleader led chant to Jason Black’s sexy bass line before we finally get that voice; the sandpaper whisky throated roar magically off kilter to the melody. Whilst I love both Fuel For The Hate Game and Forever And Counting, No Division always feels like their leap forward from cult heroes to genuine punk rock contenders.

Alongside the frenetic opening, the album also contains a Hot Water Music at their most restrained. Driving Home is a perfect emo-song; melancholic and empty at its core musically, the song remains so defiant and uplifting that it manages to hit all the feels twenty years after its release. Our Own Way is another more subdued song, relying on the quality of the playing compared to its pace to illicit a response. Likewise, End Of Gun is arguably Hot Water Music absolutely nailing the social commentary and disillusionment with a world that focuses on consumerism at the expense of protecting its citizens.

Despite my claim that Caution contains the iconic anthems, No Division also contains two quintessentially fan favourite bangers in Rooftops (covered by Alkaline Trio and no doubt providing a more pop punk audience to become aware of the charms of the Gainesville legends), but also Hard To Know – no lyrics will be associated more with the band than the mantra “live your heart and never follow”.

No Division remains a truly special album; if anyone was just discovering them for the first time, I’d wholeheartedly recommend heading for this collection above all others. Sure, it’s not the most raucous of their back catalogue but it’s far and away their most beautiful!

Making A Case For Caution (Omar Ramlugon)

Caution is to Hot Water Music what Mush is to Leatherface; a perfect document of a seminal band. Following on from 2001’s A Flight And A Crash, Caution found the band partnering up again with producer Brian McTernan for their second release on Epitaph, whose work on the previous record threw the band’s sinewy rhythms and pin sharp tempo changes into sharp relief, as opposed to the muddier recordings that were the case in previous years. There were a few moments on A Flight… that seemed as if the band were breaking new ground but not quite sure of their footing just yet.

Caution has no such shortcomings. From the very first second of Remedy, which has been a frequent show opener for them ever since, the band sound both bursting with energy and passion, but there are deep veins of melody hewn deep into the brick-hard riffing and muscular rhythm section. Singers/guitarists Chuck Ragan and Chris Wollard deliver their most powerful payloads of gravelly, heartfelt roaring while ducking in and out of and harmonising with eachother’s melodies on both their instruments; not a single second of the sub thirty-seven minute run time is wasted.

The band push into exciting new areas – take the simple, beautiful piano line supporting the break in Alright For Now, or the stuttering guitar riff of It’s All Related – but this is built on a foundation of crunching, melodic-but-snarling, perfect punk rock songs that are both simple on first listen yet bursting with complexity that reveals itself to an in-depth headphone listener. Even Dag Nasty/Bad Religion legend Brian Baker shows up on the incredible closing track, fittingly named The End, to fire off an explosive guitar solo.

Caution is a perfect album, simply put. Instantly rewarding and endlessly repeatable.

This feature was written by Richard Mair and Omar Ramlugon.