Various Artists: Punk-O-Rama 10
Label: Dionysus Records
Release Date: 6/07/05
Review Date: 8/10/05
Too much “o-rama” and not enough punk.
According to Epitaph: “Punk comps are meant to piss a few people off and Punkorama 10 will not disappoint by featuring one of the most unique collections of punk legends, pop-rock luminaries, post-hardcore innovators and hip-hop radicals ever put together!” Err… yeah, I guess you could make a jazz, salsa, and polka compilation and call it punk too. Man can not live on bread and water alone, and the employees of Epitaph can not live on on bread and punk rock alone. So let’s carry on. Did I mention that this stuff mostly isn’t punk. It may pass for punk at your local Hot Topic, but it aint, for the most part. Also comes with a free DVD. I’ll ramble on about these two discs if you’ve got some time to kill.
The audio CD
Motion City Soundtrack: Poppy rock with a hint of keyboards. Goes down easy, forgotten just as easy.
Matchbook Romance: Same thing, less keeyboards, harder guitars.
The Matches: Same thing with over enunciated vocal affectations, possibly the Son of Dale Bozzio and the guys from Specimen, which could be bad or good, but is bad, in this case. See DVD review.
From First to Last: Stick the first three bands in a blender.
Sage Francis: Rap. Nothing new beat wise. Stick your fingers in your earsand it sounds like gangsta rap from a few years back, but it isn’t. Probably owes a debt to Disposable Heroes of Hiphopcracy Funny lines about God being a big white guy in the sky. I’m not sure why Epitaph feels the need to get into hip hop, probably hedging a bet now that todays white youth doesn’t distinguish/dicrimenate between musical genres.
Bad Religion: If you like Bad Religion, you won’t be disappointed.
This Is Me Smiling: I thought it was going to be another one of the bubblegum power pop revival (OK GO) Bring on the Am Gold meets… oh I give up.
Youth Group: I’m going to go out on the wuss limb and say that I like this whispy pop with effeminate male vocals, remeniscent of a lot of 80’s wimpy brit bands on hte fringe of new wave. Out of place on any record where punk is not used ironcally in the title. Summertime sunroof music for girls with bare feet and light cotton dresses, and the boys (or girls) that have crushes on them. Sometimes sounds like Petshop boys on backing vocals.
Scatter the Ashes: Erm… Extremely even keeled Motion City Soundtrack. Flatten out the highs and lows. Average it out.
Some Girls; What is the point of making music where you are screaming at the full capacity of your lungs all the time? Sounds like what parents used to characaturize heavy metal as.
Dangerdoom: Mellow rap. I fell asleep. Hey, you should check out Basehead’s Play with Toys. That’s a good one.
The Offspring: If you hate the Offspring you won’t be disappointed. A line in the Blues Brothers movie.
Converge: See Some Girls. Gee, did they really need 2 of these bands on the same label? For lunkheads only.
Hot Water Music: Indie music media darlings, but I’m unconvinced.
Bouncing Souls: Live performance. Sounds like an arena. How strange.
Millencolon: Errr. Almost interesting.
Dropkick Murphys: More of what they are famous for. These guys are so earnest it hurts. They will beat you over the head with their subtleness.
The Unseen: See Converge meets From First to Last. What’s the name of that band who has the song called “I hate the Unseen”? (Dark Buster)
Rancid: Insane base line. Putting the “punk” in “Punk-o-rama” at long last and 19 songs into 26 tracks. Ok, it’s a little metal.
Pennywise: A penny saved is a penny earned. Pennywise is Pennywise.
NoFX: No Fun in Fundamentalism, but the funnest song on the CD. Politics and humor without preaching. WIll appeal to screwballs and pc’ers alike. Too short though…
Pulley: See, they have this guy who was like a baseball player and a punk rocker…
The Specail Goodness: Hey it’s the 90’s! I like Pavement. I like Ween. I like Special Goodness. Seriously, I think I do like these guys.
Tiger Army: Crooning Rockabilly. Could open for Chris Issac too.
Roger Miret and the Disasters: Sing along rock-punk. Good stuff.
The Coup: Get your funk groove on. Seriously, what the hell is Epitaph doing in this genre? That’s what spin off labels are for.
The DVD:
Lot’s of music videos, none of them doubled from Armstrong’s movie. Ranging from slick high budget looking affairs to single camera garage affairs. Animations and live performances too. I was going to write about every band again, but I ran out of smart assed remarks. Here’s what I got.
Youth Group: Video for Skeleton Jar. Some kind of whiny mid 80’e brit pop, but good. Shure as shit aint punk though. I wrote this part before hearing their audio track.
Converge: starts off like it might be a harder garge rock scorcher but turns into a cartoon as soon as the boring and predictable “yargh!” vocals start.
C Aarme: Interesting song, maybe only becausecause it’s in a foreign language? I don’t know, but I wish they had a track on the sudio CD.
Tiger Army – Least threating psychobilly possible. Taking a cue from the Blink 182 goth slow ballad video.
The Matches? Fuck those guys.
Bad Religion – Los Angeles is Burning: A very interesting animated video. Sure, it copies a bunch stylistic stuff now common in commercials, but a good one to watch. Great imagery. Armegedeon can be funny as only as Cold War era punks can see it.
The Coup – Ride The Fence. Cool old school style vibe rap when it reall ywas the cnn for the hood instead of generic gangsta glitter crap. A little bit of school house rock style animation.
Weaker Thans – The Reasons I don’t know shit about them, but the video is fun. Ween comparisons are obvious, but hey, it works. I’d give them a listen. Foo Fighters video vibe for sure.
Black Keys: The working hipster’s White Stripes. (How Ironic) Funny video in a very dry, non funny way.
Atmosphere: Sounds like tough Guy Sugar Ray, with a little bit political, good video. Themes of pop culture overload. Hats of to the director. Digital Underground sample!
Horror Pops: Why these guys aren’t HUGE!!! I’ll never know. Enjoy them before they become superstars.
Dropkick Murphys. You know what to expect. America’s Pogues in training. A fun anthem even if you don’t like the Boston red Sox.
Bouncig Souls: Starting to sound like the rest of the teenie bopper punk-metal-emo anthem bands. I swear these guys were good once.
Roger Miret & The Disasters: Low budget, retro sound. No frills. Likeable and high energy.
Eyedea & Abilities: Embarassing emo rap with a rock band. Nine Inc Nails for Junior High School Kids.
The – Specail goodness? Hey, is that Buddy Holly on the Drums? I wish.
Well that’s it. And remember, I have write about it because I can’t actually do it.
Online Action: www.epitaph.com