Movie previews have become more and more manipulative lately. Often what you see in the preview turn out to be the only good scenes in a film that in its entirety is flat out boring.
Sometimes, CD singles are used as a way to tout an upcoming full-length album, teasing the listener with a few tracks from the album and filling out the single with previously unreleased material. NOFX used this technique on Never Trust A Hippy, the CD single that featured the songs “Seeing Double at The Triple Rock” and “The Marxist Brothers” from their new full-length, Wolves In Wolves Clothing. And true to the current form, the teasers turned out to be some of the best tracks on the album.
It’s not that Wolves In Wolves Clothing is a bad album, just extremely different from the NOFX that many punk/thrash lovers grew up with. Fat Mike, Melvin, Smelly and El Hefe are still around, playing with abandon. But so much of what gave NOFX its punch is gone. Gone are the ska and jazz riffs and in their stead is a lighter, more straight-edged rock/punk which, while played well, seems a little sanitized.
When you consider these guys have been playing together since the early eighties (with the exception of El Hefe, who hooked up with the band in the early nineties), touring like crazy and, despite what they’d have you believe, really working at the business of music, I think these guys can be excused for being tired and putting out an album that feels like a mere ghost of their former selves. This may be the result of the band working with the production crew from The Descendents, another band that’s been pulling farther away from their original sound. Or maybe they need some time in rehab, get their heads a little clearer, and then go back into the studio.
Article comments
1 - Tom Honeyfield
Yeah, its fatty though isn't it. He's been doing those 7 inchers for a while now since war on erections. Man was that really 3 years ago now? I think everyone's just really tired at the moment. You know the score, within 6 months you'll be able to listen to every track on the album, that's just the way it goes with them guys. Its like... 2006, that's messed up, no wonder fatty's takin it seriously easy, listen to 60% reprise and the general gist of absolutely everything is right there. I mean, i can't even be bothered to put shows on with my band anymore and we never even got any sort of record deal we were just a small time punk band. I can't believe its been 6 years since the 90's. what have i been doin man.... too much obviously lol, see ya later
2 - Kat
I felt the same way. I was looking forward to this album for months and I love "Leaving Jesusland" and "The Man I Killed." Even "USA-Holes" and "Benny Got Blowed Up" were really good. I speak fluent Spanish, so "Cantado in Espanol" just about killed me it was so funny, but I felt the album was definitely short of the mark. The energy is gone, and what was up with "Instant Crassic?" Where was the often hinted at full band version of "You're Wrong?" I really hope they aren't becoming their lyrics, "Played out and way after our time."