NOFX CELEBRATE 30TH ANNIVERSARY WITH LP BOX SET

January 3rd, 2013 – Los Angeles, CA – Quintessential California punk band NOFX celebrate their monumental 30th anniversary by announcing the release of a limited edition deluxe LP collection of every studio album they have released, from 1988’s Liberal Animation through 2012’s Self Entitled on February 19th 2013. This limited edition collection will be available for preorder today at: www.nofxboxset.com.

The must-have collection of only 2500 pressings will include all of NOFX’s studio albums, as well as the 2xLP for the “7 Inch of the Month Club,” which has never been available before. Liberal Animation, S & M Airlines, Ribbed, White Trash, Two Heebs & A Bean, Punk In Drublic, Heavy Petting Zoo , So Long And Thanks For All The Shoes, Pump Up The Valuum , The Decline, War On Errorism, 7-Inch of the Month Club, Wolves in Wolves Clothing, Coaster and Self-Entitled are packaged in a beautiful hardbound anniversary box and pressed on colored vinyl with exclusive colors available through both Fat Wreck Chords and Epitaph Records.

In addition, all box sets will include a life-size version of the band’s infamous stage banner and 500 LPs will be signed by the band. As a perfect gift for vinyl fans, collectors, and NOFX fanatics alike, the LP Box Set is limited edition and will undoubtedly sell out fast.

Formed in Los Angeles back in 1983, NOFX have sold well over 6 million albums in their illustrious career. Forged in the same fiery furnaces of the L.A. punk rock scene that gave us Bad Religion, Suicidal Tendencies, Germs and Descendents. NOFX emerged as punk rock juggernauts when they joined forces with Epitaph in 1989 and went on to release a string of crucial punk records. Their first major breakthrough came in the form of 1990’s Ribbed, still a fan favorite, followed up by now-classics White Trash, Two Heebs and a Bean and Punk in Drublic, the latter selling well over a million copies. That was a wildly successful decade for NOFX as the band popularized the Warped Tour and was the flagship band for the skate/surf/snow culture of the 1990’s.

Now on Fat Mike’s own label, Fat Wreck Chords, their third decade was even more fruitful, which again speaks to NOFX’s indomitable longevity. The band’s decade-long ban on doing the mainstream press and media was lifted as they sought to actively share their dissent for the Bush Administration and speak out against the invasion of Iraq. And once the floodgates were open, NOFX and their “Rock Against Bush” movement were everywhere: Newsweek, Rolling Stone, New York Times, Howard Stern, and network television. All that high profile interest and hype was reflected in the success of their 2003 record, The War on Errorism, which was the #1 independent record in the country at the time if its release and topped Billboard’s Indie chart. The new NOFX full-length, Self Entitled, released on September 11th, is their 12th studio record. A return to their aggressive roots, the 12 tracks embrace the hostile early LA punk sound while maintaining the trademark technical and melodic sound that NOFX is renowned for.

For more information:
www.nofxboxset.com
www.epitaph.com
www.fatwreck.com

Best of 2012

I have to be honest, 2012 did not blow me away when it came to music. It almost disappointed me, I couldn’t even bring myself to listen to, let alone buy, the three records from one of my all-time favourite bands. The year started off well, and there were some releases that I really enjoyed, but there were some lulls at times. I may have missed a lot, but the ones that made my list would have probably made it either way.
1) Jesse Lebourdais-I Go By The Sound. I reviewed this one when it came out, the record is awesome. He’s a Canadian singer, and definitely doesn’t receive the fanfare he deserves.
2) The Menzingers-On The Impossible Past. I liked this album instantly. While this album isn’t in constant rotation, I put it on when the time is right.
3) The Gaslight Anthem-Handwritten-I will be driving along sometimes and just catch myself saying “*&%$, this guy is cool!”
4) Cobra Skulls-Eagle Eyes 7”-“Eagle Eyes” has to be my favourite song this year. I wasn’t even a fan until I read a blog post about them, then took a listen for myself and got hooked.
5) Teenage Bottlerocket-Freak Out! This was also an album that turned me on to this band. I always liked them, but I couldn’t say no to this one.
6) The Magnificent-Bad Lucky. I really enjoyed this album, and out of all the ones to make this list, it is one that deserves more air time than it gets.
7) Pennywise-All or Nothing. As a big Pennywise fan, I was skeptical of this one at first, but Zoli Teglas filled in wonderfully. With that said, I am more than excited for Jim Lindberg’s return to the band.
8) Anti-Flag-The General Strike. This is also a good album, that deserves to be taken off the shelf more than it is.
9) Operation Ivy-Hectic and Energy. I know these aren’t technically albums from 2012, but to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the group’s inception, Epitaph reissued both records, and these albums still hold up nicely in today’s musical landscape.
10) Riverboat Gamblers-The Wolf You Feed. I bought this when it first came out, out of loyalty and not really hearing much. Up until about 6 weeks ago, I would have considered this for a worst of 2012 list. But I put it on, and got into it a bit more. It isn’t what I expected from them, but it is a bold evolution for the group that doesn’t cheapen the final product.

Top 10 of 2012

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Wow, would you look at the time? Just do it, ok? By it I mean take a look at a calendar. It is almost 2013. Seriously, what happened to 2012? I’m old. I comment on the passage of time. Get over it. Truly though I wish I had been a little more productive here at !upstarter in 2012. I’m sure that a great number of awesome tunes slipped through my tenuous grasp.

Sometime between a day job and a band project of my own I managed to squeeze in time for 25 reviews this year. That’s one per fortnight, I guess I shouldn’t sell myself short on production. I’m sure that last year wasn’t much different. But down to the guts and glory, if you made the list, a big round of applause. If you sent something in for review and I missed out on something awesome, there is no penalty for re-submission. Without further adieu, I present the best of 2012:

1. Morning Glory – Poets Were My Heroes

2. The Downtown Struts – Victoria!

3. Classics of Love

4. The Atom Age – The Hottest Thing That’s Cool

5. Masked Intruder

6. Harrington Saints – Pride & Tradition

7. The Real McKenzies – Westwinds

8. The Ducky Boys – Chasing The Ghost

9. Problems – Make It Through The Night

10. Eli Whitney & The Sound Machine – Mickey

The Caulfield Cult – Winter Tour 2012

The Caulfield Cult formed in early 2011 and are influenced by bands like Alkaline Trio, Hot Water Music, The Promise Ring, The Get Up Kids, etc. , and self-released our debut full length “Leaving Cemetery Junction” on October 29th 2011. We have toured south east asia extensively and also the UK earlier this year in march and april.

Here are the dates:
13th December 2012 – Cornwall, UK
14th December 2012 – Brighton, UK
15th December 2012 – Brugge, Belgium
16th December 2012 – Amsterdam, Netherlands
17th December 2012 – Hengelo, Netherlands
18th December 2012 – Hamburg, Germany
19th December 2012 – Nuremberg, Germany
20th December 2012 – Geneva, Switzerland
21st December 2012 – Paris, France
22nd December 2012 – Gloucester, UK

all venues are on and will be updated on www.leavingcemeteryjunction.blogspot.com

Masked Intruder

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© 2012 Red Scare Records
[rating:8.5/10]

I’m big time late to the game. That generally seems to be the case. I’m finally getting around to listening to Masked Intruder. I’m speaking, of course, about the self-title release on Red Scare. I know they have some new stuff coming out in cooperation with Fat, but I’m not talking about that right now ok?

Anywhat, this new release busts 13 tracks of pop punk that is way too Descendents for a band named Masked Intruder, especially a band bedecked in a rainbow of ski masks, with songs of felonious intent. I was seriously expecting to hear some Blood for Blood style hardcore come pummeling out of my speakers. Instead I was gently assaulted by pleasant pop punk sounds that have a feeling of Descendents, Queers, Teenage Bottle Rocket and other bands that in essence sound zero like hardcore.

This is not a bad thing by any means. I’m fully digging on this disc and like the subtle trickery that I really brought on myself by making name based assumptions. I, as usual, like the fact that the songs are geared for short attention spans. Nothing hits the three minute mark, though some do come damn close, but never at or over … that is the key, right?

Ok, so bottom line, pop punk as only pop punk can be. The legacy of Buddy Holly and the Beach Boys lives on in a new form that has more distortion and guitar riffery, yet charmingly still has coordinated outfits, which as we all know, is critical.

–Jerry Actually

NOFX – Self Entitled

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© 2012 Fat Wreck Chords
[rating:8/10]

NOFX has a new album out. I’m sure you’ve all heard it by now, or at least heard people talking about it. I know I have. People have said things, and I’m paraphrasing, like “back to their roots” and “sounds like ribbed”. In retrospect, that person could have easily said, “smells like ribs”. I’m not sure. I haven’t been really paying attention lately.

At any rate, NOFX have been at it a while; not quite the elder statesmen of punk rock, but damn if their not a heartbeat or two away from that title. So, grizzled and well into middle age, the gentlemen dusted themselves off and kicked out their 12th studio album.

Self Entitled give you twelve tracks of music that sounds a damn lot like NOFX. It’s snotty punk rock with a mix of social commentary, self-deprecation and politics all entwined. So I suppose you could say, “back to their roots” or “these guys are still around?”, because the new release really kind of works on all those levels.

I guess the sum of it is that if you’re a NOFX fan, you’ll likely enjoy this. If you’re out of loop, you’ll probably stay out of the loop, unless of course you’re in faraway lands where the band seems to like to tour a bunch nowadays.

Seriously though, Self Entitle is a fine record that undoubtedly no one but NOFX could have put out. It’s got their scent all over it.

–Jerry Actually

Triple Crossed-Raised on Ice

I remember the day this album came out (November 6th), I was sitting around lamenting the fact that my son will probably never experience or enjoy music stores the way I did as a child.  Even bigger stores like CD Plus, Music World, and Sam the Record Man appealed to me.  There was always something good kicking around the store.  I added many cds to my collection that I found in these types of stores on sale for 2 for 20 dollars or something like that.  I remember when Music World was shutting down, I actually found Pennywise’s About Time and The Fuse for a deal like that. At the time I was so excited, it had been over ten years since I had first heard About Time but I had never owned it.  One thing that also sticks out in my mind is that Tuesdays were new music day.  If something came out that I wanted I usually made sure I had it on release day. 

Now, I walk into an HMV (a very rare occurrence) and I usually leave and feel ashamed because I didn’t knock over the shelves or perform some other type of vandalism.  I can list a billion things that I feel are responsible for the downfall of music stores, but I will only name one, the internet and downloading music. 

Until the release date of this particular album, I never realized the  benefits of dowloading music.  That is the ability to circumvent new music Tuesday’s and release music anytime you want.  That I am thankful for.  Recently, Minneapolis’ resident hardcore punks Triple Crossed released a 5 track EP titled Raised on Ice, and it was done on a non-Tuesday, and it was done late at night. 

That isn’t even the best part, the music is.  With this album you get 5 hard hitting hardcore tracks that all come in at under 2 minutes in length.  I’m not much of fan of the hardcore genre, but I do like these guys.  I think it is because that everytime I listen to them I feel like there is a guy holding a camcorder and another bunch of kids riding around on skateboards nearby.  When I hear music like it, it makes me feel like there is still hope out there for music, and that although I have a billion reasons to blame for the fall of music stores, there a few good reasons to like the direction it is taking.

Polar Bear Club-Live At The Montage

I have had this album kicking around since its release date and I have listened to it a few times, but tonight I finally took the time to pop the cd in and actually listen to it.  After listening, I figured while I was catching up on last week’s episode of The Walking Dead I would take the time to review the album. 

Last year, Polar Bear Club released Clash Battle Guilt Pride and it made many best of lists for 2011, including the top spot in my own.  I think I called the album the group’s “coming out party” a sort of “taking it to the next level” if you will.  So when I bought the album I thought I was mostly getting live acoustic versions of those songs.  I was wrong.  Included on the cd version are two cover songs, and the remaining 7 are songs which cover  their entire catalog. I am not saying that is a bad thing, I did like Chasing Hamburg, but not nearly as much as the record that followed.  So while these songs did not introduce me to anything new, what it did is let me experience and hear the songs in a different way.  Songs such as “Light of Local Eyes” or “Burned Out in a Jar” would not have made my favourites list from Chasing Hamburg but hearing them acoustically live gives me a new appreciation of them.  The live versions really showcase Jimmy Stadt’s vocals and bring new life to the songs.

My one issue with the collection is that it is only nine songs long, unless of course you received a digital download after buying the vinyl, in which case you got an additional 4 tracks including “Drifting Thing” and “Screams in Caves” which are two of my personal favourites from the band.  If it wasn’t for hearing the 4 additional I would have enjoyed Live at the Montage a lot less, but still it is a good live record that paints a new light on some older songs.

 

The Zeroes

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The Zeroes

© 2102 Patrick Roesle

[rating:9/10]

It’s the end of the millenium. Somewhere in the shopping mall saturated, suburban New Jersey, The Returners are riding high on the last wave of Ska. Charlie, Sal, Jack, and Joe are fresh out of high school or there about. The world is theirs and nothing stands in their way. So starts what rapidly turns to inauspicious beginnings of The Zeroes, a new novel by Patrick Roesle. At its heart The Zeroes is a story of growing up, growing apart and coming to the bitter realization that even with all the drive and all the talent and all the potential, sometimes life leads nowhere.

The book is presented in a narrative manner by a character that I can best discern remains nameless throughout. He’s Charlie’s best friend and a talented comic artist, but the storyline takes a very first person aspect and is viewed almost entirely from this lens. Charlie, of course is the brains behind The Returners a four piece, ostensibly 3rd wave Ska band with Sal on drums, Jack on bass and Joe on trombone. But this isn’t a book report.

Sufficed to say, things get bad. Nothing goes as planned and the best intentions fall to pieces. Despite the best efforts, people get out of high school and leave town. Relationships drift apart. Dreams are dashed. People snap. People become cynical and jaded. Inevitably there are those that remain behind.

The Zeroes is a fantastically depressing read. It is perhaps an epitaph upon the dying embers of the last wave of Ska or more likely, it is a somber note that not everything works out. For those of us that lived through the turn of the last century, especially ones who were into Ska, Punk and Hardcore, the book reads like a chapter out of life anywhere in the USA. The bands, the shows, the friends, the triumphs, and the failures could have all happened to any one of us.

The stark, visceral reality, combined with the sonic backdrop of my relative youth makes this one hell of a book. It reminds me of what life would be like a bit less than a generation after Salad Days. A little more jaded and a lot more East Coast, but still a wild ride that doesn’t always work up where you wanted to go.

-Jerry Actually

(Oh, for the record, Permanent Revolution is a brilliant record.)