Dragonforce - Inhuman Rampage

Inhuman Rampage is Dragonforce's third album. It was released in 2006, two years after Sonic Firestorm.

As someone who doesn't know the first thing about the power metal genre, this is a unique experience. The album blasts along at a million miles per hour (not just tempo, but also complexity), and I can barely even keep up listening. The idea of being able to think this fast, let alone pay it, seems utterly impossible!

So I'm not really able to listen in a normal sense, it's more sitting back and letting the madness wash over me. Verses, choruses, songs... these concepts no longer have any meaning. It's all just an explosion of incomprehensible power and madness. Wow. Occasionally there is a catchy sing-a-long chorus, but even then the rest of the band is still going hammer and tongs in the background.

Admiration, inadequacy, bemusement. It's a strange reaction to music, but nonetheless a wonderfully unique experience.

Recording quality rant

This is also affected by everything just happening so fast. Each note has the smallest fraction of a second to make its point, before the next note comes along. Therefore the sound needs to prioritise crispness above all else, and there's no time for the audio subtleties that make up much of a sound's character. Considering this constraint, the recording quality suits the brief very well, and the lack of clipping is a great relief.

Favourite songs

They all blend together, so I can't really say...

I diggit?

I have no idea whether this is a good album or not, but for me it is a very unique and worthwhile experience.

Richard Cheese - I'd Like A Virgin

I'd Like A Virgin is Richard Cheese's third album. It was released in 2004, two years after Tuxicity.

For me, too much Richard Cheese is never enough! Sure, a few songs (including Gin And Juice and Rock The Kasbah) also appear on other albums that I own, but there's still plenty of goodness here.

I've never liked Coldplay's Yellow, so hearing it stripped of its dignity is satisfying in itself! Similarly, Are You Gonna Be My Girl has been taken in a very different direction to its original style, and the contrast between the hedonistic lyrics and the serene musical style is both intriguing and amusing.

There are actually a few songs here that have more appeal than just the LOLs. This cover of Butterfly retains the primal feel of the original, yet is also different enough to be entertaining in its own right (although I must admit I'm also a sucker for the silly "Han Solo" joke!). Also, Beat It is a fantastic acoustic interpretation of the Michael Jackson hit. (which couldn't be any different from Fall Out Boy's version, and both are fantastic).

Finally, Stand Up exemplifies Richard Cheese at his finest: ridiculously ego-centric, chauvinistic and profane rap lyrics over a classic big-band backing. Brilliant.

Favourite songs

Gin And Juice, Yellow, Are You Gonna Be My Girl, Butterfly, Beat It, Stand Up, Rock The Kasbah

I diggit?

Sure do.

Kate Miller-Heidke - Curiouser

Curiouser is Kate Miller-Heidke's second album. It was released in 2008, one year after Little Eve.

Although this band splits their efforts between gentle ballads and oddball pop-rock, the former isn't really my cup of tea. So the appeal for me is largely based on the orchestrated madness of their pop-rock. Maybe the silliness is a subversive commentary on the cookie-cutter nature of pop music? Well, all I care about is that bouncing around like a madman is heaps of fun!

And this album is brimming with such fun. It kicks off with The One Thing I Know, which jumps all over the place but somehow manages to just hold it all together. The only downside is that the chorus gets a bit stale towards the end. Gods Gift To Women uses the same great recipe,  adds a dash of cheeky lyrics and is fantastic from start to finish.

Caught In The Crowd, Last Thing On Earth and Our Song are probably wonderfully spiritual songs, but... well... I'm just here for the craziness...

Politics In Space has a really great country mood (somehow reminding me of John Farnham??) in the verses, but I find the saccharine chorus undermines the song. End Of School, however, maintains a beautifully haunting and sparse mood throughout, much like The Howling Bells. Amongst the silliness of this album, it injects a moment of calm reflection.

In my opinion, Can't Shake It and Motorscooter represent the pinnacle of the band's style. Just the right amount of madness gives the songs their spice, as does the cheeky lyrics (my favourite being "I execute the moonwalk like I stepped in shit"). Yet one does not listen to these songs sagely appreciating their qualities, because the grooves are so irresistibly catchy that you're inevitably bouncing around! This is the oddball-pop genre perfected.

Favourite songs

The One Thing I know, God's Gift To Women, Can't Shake It, Motorscooter, End Of School 

I diggit?

Yes, it's is a unique and fantastic musical experience (...even with my stubborn refusal to appreciate its serious, softer side)

Millencolin - True Brew

True Brew is the eighth album from Millencolin. It was released in 2015, eight years after Machine 15.

Please allow me to take a few moments to pontificate about Millencolin's lyrics, because for me they are a big part of what distinguishes them from the thousands of other pop-punk bands. Firstly, there's the language itself: while there's nothing grammatically incorrect, the unusual phrasing and quirky analogies are a wonderful novelty.

As for the meaning behind the lyrics, Pennybridge Pioneers and Home From Home are often dripping in either fragile humility (eg Penguins & Polarbears from Pennybridge Pioneers) or motivational poster-style positivity (eg Fingers Crossed from Home From Home). Perhaps it's the language oddities that prevents the latter from sounding trite? Anyway, both of which were a brilliant match for their catchy pop-punk style. The next two albums took the more usual punk-rock stance of angry energy, which although less unique still resulted in some great songs. However, I am delighted that True Brew is a return to the humility/optimism lyrics, because these are unique Millencolin treats.

Enough rambling, on to the songs...

Egocentric Man is a great opener, with some great pop hooks and strong emotions in the self-effacing lyrics.  

Chameleon is quite similar (although perhaps that could be said for all Millencolin songs!) and also features a great chorus, but I find the verses to indistinctive. On the other hand, Autopilot probably only differs thanks to the unique breakdown of the chorus, yet I totally dig that song.

"Motivational poster" rock is at its finest for Bring Me Home. It's kinda like Good Charlotte in that there's nothing too meaningful, but.. well...it's great catchy fun.

Perhaps a quirk of punk-rock being such a tightly defined style is that I really enjoy Autopilot Mode but Wall Of Doubt leaves me totally cold. They are very similar songs, so I have no idea why there would be such a difference in reaction!

However, the explanation for Silent Suicide being so forgettable is plainly obvious- the chorus isn't the centrepiece that the song needs it to be.

Sense & Sensibility is an interesting exploration of the issues of compassion and narcissism. With a thumping million-miles per hour punk-rock backdrop. Brilliant.

The unusual, moody rhythm guitar style gives Mr Fake Believe a nicely sparse element to it. And the chorus, when it is finally revealed, is perhaps all the better due to the anticipation of its arrival.

Finally, Believe In John is another case of vintage Millencolin- wonderfully spiritual lyrics contrasting and complimenting a manically energetic chorus.

Those familiar with the tracklist might have noticed the absence of the title track (True Brew) so far. It's because I'm saving the best until last; this song features catchiness by the bucketload, but in this case it's backed up with profound meaning. Another highlight is the greater contrast of light and shade between verses and chorus. Outstanding. Good Charlotte catchiness with profound meaning. The icing on the cake is the chorus, which is an irresistible outpouring of energy and triumphant emotion. Millencolin have knocked out some fine choruses over the years, and this is one of their best. This song sums up everything that is great about Millencolin.

Favourite songs

Egocentric Man, Autopilot Mode, Bring Me Home, Sense & Sensability, True Brew

I diggit?

Oh yes. After owning four other Millencolin albums, I came into this expecting that True Brew wouldn't be able to bring anything new to the table. But it delivers in spades.

Millencolin - The Melancholy Connection

The Melancholy Connection is a compilation released in 2012, containing B-sides from previous albums.

And herein lies the problem for me: the songs feel like early drafts of the songs which ended up on the albums. Many of the verses, choruses and riffs ended up being used in other songs on the albums, sometimes mixed together completely differently and sometimes only the lyrics are different in the final product. Therefore, in my opinion, it's more of an insight into the songwriting process than songs to be enjoyed in their own right.

And I'm not enough of a Millencolin fanboy to appreciate this.

I diggit?

No.

The Pearly Shells - Flip!

Flip is The Pearly Shells sixth' studio album. It was released in 2014, three years after Belmar Sessions.

Half of the songs on the album are originals, and unfortunately most of these songs leave me cold, for reasons unknown. Somehow they just have no appeal. Also, the recording style is missing the lowest and highest pitch sounds, and the horns and female vocals often sound muddy.

Grow Up Properly is happily an exception, thanks mainly to the cheeky lyrics. (the catchy melody, especially in the chorus, seems similar to a song by another band, but I can't quite put my finger on it)

Most of the covers are solid efforts, but again, none of them appeal to me. The cover of the classic Staggerlee stands out, and not in a good way. This is mainly because the upbeat boogie-woogie style of the instrumentals is completely at odds with the violent lyrics. I realise that this juxtaposition is a fundamental part of Mack The Knife's captivating appeal, but it just doesn't work in this case for some reason. While I'm digging the knife in (sorry... terrible pun...), the saccharine chorus just exaggerates the mismatch, and is quite cringeworthy.

Favourite songs

Grow Up Properly

I diggit?

Despite me being a big fan of The Pearly Shells, somehow this one just holds very little appeal for me.

The Bombay Royale - The Island of Dr Electro

The Island Of Dr Electro is The Bombay Royale's second album. It was released in 2014, two years after You Me Bullets Love.

How on earth should one pigeonhole this band? Indian-styled funk oddysey, perhaps?? It's probably cheating, but in the end I'm going to go with Bollywood Cat Empire.

From the very first sitar note in Ankhiyan, this album is something very unique and special. My personal highlight of this opening track is the infectious headbanging groove, support by oh-so-cheesy-yet-oh-so-right riffs from the strings section.

To sum up Wild Stallion Mountain, it's a spaghetti western style... plus interstellar disco-funk. Which means it is everything one could possibly want in a song! A particular highlight is the third "Bobby" which re-unleashes the funk halfway through the song. Plus the gratuitous horse neigh, of course.

Hourly Night Patrol provides a bit of a breather as an understated ballad, which beautifully tiptoes along... until it unleashes... A FUNK ONSLAUGHT OF EPIC PROPORTIONS. Brilliant.

(Boring audiophile rant: Initially I had deducted points for the lack of any deep bass... but I've since realised that not every album needs to be register on the Richter Scale. The balance between instruments is perfect, the layering is beautifully rich, and the top end glistens wonderfully; in short, it is a great sounding album.)

You might notice that the list of favourite songs below is every song on the album. It's reflective that this isn't a collection of songs, it's a single experience- a wonderfully abstract and intense musical journey.

Favourite songs

Ankhiyan, Wild Stallion Mountain, Khubsoorat Bewafa, Henna Henna, Tere Bina, Hourly Night Patrol, Bunty Bunty, Gyara 59, The Bombay Twist, The Island Of Dr Electro, Falcon's Landing, The River

I diggit?

This is fantastic! And I've never heard anything like it!

Hunters & Collectors - Crucible

This collection of covers was released in 2013, seventeen years after the last album from Hunters & Collectors.

Hunters & Collectors hold a very special place in my collection, so it's a tough ask for any band attempting to cover their songs. Will this compilation be a failed attempt to improve on perfection? Or will the covers be wonderful songs in their own right?

Unfortunately, I quickly found myself disengaged from this album, and resorted to nit-picking each song. That's totally unfair, because each band has done well to provide a creative and fresh interpretation of the songs.

Perhaps the reason I'm not into it is simply that I'm not really into the style of many of the bands here. But then The Living End's cover of Say Goodbye challenges that theory. Because, as much as I'm a massive Living End fan, I find this version to be much poorer for the lack of the Hunters & Collectors style. Perhaps the fundamentals of the songs aren't anything special, but they're elevated to greatness but the wonderful style of Hunters & Collectors?

Blind Eye is another curious situation. The lyrics are hauntingly beautiful, therefore in isolation Husky's acoustic version is a beautiful song. But I just can't get over the notion that I'd prefer to be listening to the original. Sorry.

Favourite songs

(none)

I diggit?

Despite its best intentions, somehow it's just not my cup of tea.

Reverend Horton Heat - Rev

Rev is Reverend Horton Heat's eleventh(!) album. It was released in 2014, five years after Laughin' and Cryin'. I was quite nervous about this album, because Laughin' and Cryin' was such a stinker IMHO.

But thankfully Rev sees the band back in fine form. There's nothing here we haven't heard countless times before, and not just generally speaking about rockabilly, but also many of the songs are very similar to songs on previous Reverend Horton Heat albums.

But that is just fine by me. Victory Lap / Smell Of Gasoline is a pretty close copy of Big Sky / Baddest Of The Bad, but this energetic instrumental rockabilly gets me every time. It's a similar familiarity and enjoyment for Spooky Boots, Scenery Going By, Longest Gonest Man and Chasing Rainbows.

Recording quality? Low-fi seems to be a rockabilly badge of pride, and sadly this one also lives up to the reputation. Flaws include a boomy double-bass and a snare sounds that's being belted mercilessly in a shed somewhere. 

Instrumentally, Never Gonna Stop It is pretty generic (still fantastic, though), but the highlight is the wonderfully provocative lyrics about abuse of government privilege:
They can profit off a deal from a patriotic tax
While sitting on the board of Golden Slacks*
Cheat on their wives with a cute intern
History's lesson they'll never learn
 
Charge us a tax to build a road with a toll
But they're never gonna stop it
Rock and Roll

* Goldman Sachs, of course. But the record label probably didn't want to get sued...

The cheeky double-entendre lyrics of Let Me Teach You How To Eat make for a light-hearted yet engaging pop song. Musically, it gets a bit tired towards the end, but the jokes keep things entertaining. Similarly, the narrative of Hardscrabble Woman are a treat. It perfectly tells the tale of a tomboy who fixes her own pick-up truck and picks bar fights. Not to mention the hillbilly instrumentals, which add a nice bit of variety to the album.

Favourite songs

Victory Lap, Smell Of Gasoline, Never Gonna Stop It, Spooky Boots, Scenery Going By, Let Me Teach You How To Eat, Longest Gonest Man, Hardscrabble Woman, Chasing Rainbows

I diggit?

Strangely, yes. Often when a band churns an album that doesn't cover any new ground, I find myself preferring to just stick to the original. But somehow with Reverend Horton Heat, I'm always keen for more of the same psychobilly goodness.

Muse - The 2nd Law

This is the sixth album from Muse. It was released in 2012, three years after The Resistance.

After thoroughly enjoying Muse's first four albums, I went out on a limb and purchased The Resistance and The 2nd Law without having heard any of it. There were many warnings that the albums had "sold out", yet I thought that the same band that had produced those four wonderful albums would surely produce follow-up albums with some kind of merit. Yet I'm now left wondering what changed; why is Black Holes & Revelations one of my all-time favourite albums, and The 2nd Law is...ahem... not.

As an aside, the comparison in recording quality between The 2nd Law and its predecessor is quite interesting. The two albums sound very similar (i.e. overblown stadium rock with a thousand overdubs) but somehow The 2nd Law is crisper and provides better separation between instruments. This minor tweak elevates The 2nd Law into being album that I really like the sound of. 

Anyway, the 2nd Law feels like a grab-bag of lame pop rip-offs, such as Skrillex (Follow Me and Unsustainable), Radiohead (Animals), Queen (Survival, although it does build up very nicely), U2 (Big Freeze)and Foo Fighters (Liquid State). Worst of all, Explorers is arguably a poor attempt at Muse itself (their earlier albums). But it is completely uninspired and predictable, so it's not a patch on the brilliance of Uno, etc.

To end on a brighter note, Supremacy has some great pop hooks, especially the bangin' violin riff. It would make a very fine James Bond theme song. Finally, for a pop ballad, Madness has a wonderfully unique style.

Favourite songs

Supremacy, Madness 

I diggit?

Nope.

Muse - The Resistance

The Resistance is Muse's fifth studio album. It was released in 2009, three years after Black Holes & Revelations.

There's no doubt that this album takes a much more pop-focussed approach than previous Muse albums. And it does a very good job of it, because the songs are brimming with great hooks. Therefore, there are two ways I can approach this album: either enjoy the catchy pop fun without over-thinking about it, or get on my pretentious high-horse and bemoan the dumbing down of Muse. Of course... I choose the latter!

It's not just that the songs are simplistic; after all, much of Showbiz's appeal is its raw simplicity. However, songs like Uprising and Undisclosed Desires sees these musical ideas are drowning in all kinds of unnecessary instruments, overdubs and effects. Also, I find the lyrics are completely emotionally detached. Muse's nonsensical metaphysical lyrics have always been a highlight for me... but... "love is our resistance", what on earth does that even mean??

Despite all these misgivings, I still thoroughly enjoy Uprising, Resistance and Undisclosed Desires. Argh, the pop hooks are simply irresistible!

The recording quality seems to be aimed at achieving a big sound at any cost. Some of the sweetness and clarity is lost as a result, but the huge scale is definitely achieved.

United States Of Eurasia is some kind of terrible attempt at a Queen tribute. Guiding Light is just overblown, self-indulgent stadium rock. And MK Ultra somehow feels like a poor imitation of early Muse.

On a brighter note, Unnatural Selection is a brilliant rock-opera. It jumps all over the place, but it does it so seamlessly that it's actually adds to the appeal. It is everything I'd hoped for in Muse's fifth album and by far the highlight.

As for Exogenesis, I suspect it would make a wonderful soundtrack to a short film. However, as a standalone artwork, I think it is pointlessly rambling prog-rock which is hiding behind the camouflage of some tacked-on strings. Not to mention the piano melody of Part 3 is pretty much a rip-off of Moonlight Sonata.

Favourite songs

Uprising, Resistance, Undisclosed Desires, Unnatural Selection

I diggit?

This is a very tricky call. On one hand, I think the band have far more potential than this overblown, simplistic tripe. But I do also quite enjoy said overblown, simplistic tripe.

Fall Out Boy - Believers Never Die

Believers Never Die is a greatest hits album for the period of 2001-2009. (It seems I must have been living under a rock for this period, because they were a massive band, yet I only know two of their songs)

Fall Out Boy are masters of the catchy pop-punk chorus. They have such an ability to crank out hit chorus after hit chorus that it is a given, so the success of each song largely depends on how they fill in the time between choruses...

Unfortunately, these time-fillers are often forgettable or disjointed. For example, Saturday and A Little Less Sixteen Candles stumble awkwardly from their verses into the chorus. Alpha Dog is a rare case of having a great energy to the verses, but the composition is messy and lyrics are very cheesy. For me, Dance Dance manages to overcome the handicap of disjointed composition, thanks to the wall-to-wall singalong energy and a wonderfully bonkers pre-chorus (ala Chop Suey).

Grand Theft Autumn is actually the exception that proves the "Fall Out Boy chorus" rule, since this chorus is well below their usual standard. Strangely, the verses are actually quite good, but my reaction to the song is quite lukewarm (perhaps indicating how much pop-punk songs rely on having a catchy chorus?).

Recording quality for the most part is nicely crunchy yet also enveloping. However, in a few songs, the chorus seems squashed down, diminishing its place as the highlight of the song. 

I Don't Care uses a heavy groove (similar to recent Muse) to mix things up, and it works very nicely. And the pre-chorus of From Now On We Are Enemies is wonderfully operatic, which gives the song great momentum heading into the (brilliant, of course) chorus.

The other injection of variety comes from the slower rock-ballads, such as The Take Over The Break Over, I'm Like A Lawyer and American's Sweethearts. I think these songs sound very similar to Maroon 5, which is not how things are meant to be for a punk-rock band!

Now on to my two favourite Fall Out Boy songs: Thanks for the Memories and This Ain't A Scene It's An Arms Race (TAASIAAR). Somehow, the lyrics of Thanks For The Memories don't appeal to me at all, yet there is no denying that the chorus is a stand-out highlight, even amongst the high standard of this album. TAASIAAR shows that a glam-disco beat can be a brilliant addition to a punk rock song, much life The Offspring's You're Gonna Go Far Kid. It brings a nice variety, yet also maintaining the intensity between choruses. I also really dig TAASIAAR's lyrics- I have no idea what they mean, but whatever their assertion is, it sure is delivered with great passion! It's all wrapped together in a song that's perfect for bouncing and singing along to.

Finally, Beat It is a great cover, which might seem a simple task given the excellent original, but often the opposite is true. Anyway, the band have done a great job with this snappy and grunty interpretation.

Favourite songs

Dance Dance, This Ain't A Scene It's An Arms Race, Thanks For The Memories, Beat It, I Don't Care, From Now On We Are Enemies

I diggit?

Yes, there's a lot here to enjoy, which is impressive given that I approached this band largely from a vacuum.

The Shadows - Greatest Hits

This compilation was released in 2004. It features The Shadows' hits from the early and mid-1960s.

Unusually, this CD contains a mono version and a stereo version of every song. This might sound a bit OCD, but the stereo effect is totally over-used, for example sticking the drums in one ear and the rhythm guitar in another. This can be quite disconcerting (especially when listening through headphones), so the mono version makes sense as a band-aid fix for this.

Given modern day rock albums consist of a million overdubs and chorusing effects, it takes some effort to appreciate the simplistic- almost barren - instrumental style of The Shadows these days. But Apache's richly engaging spaghetti-western feel is well worth the effort. The Savage is more of the same, with the added bonus of a more energetic tempo.

Perhaps more pop-friendly are Man Of Mystery and F.B.I., which are immediately infectious, thanks to incredibly catchy riffs.

However, I find The Stranger and Wonderful Land a bit too inoffensive, like the theme song for daytime TV show. Having said that, the guitar sound in The Stranger is wonderful. Other complaints are the tweeness of the alternate style in The Frightened City and the whistling responses in Stars Fell On Stockton. Both elements are deal-breakers for me.

Ballads in a Hawaiian 6/8 time signature (eg Blue Moon) are a dime a dozen, but somehow Midnight still stands out as having genuine conviction. Another oddball, the Latin-styled Guitar Tango stands out with its vivid texturing and mood.

Finally, the upbeat rock'n'roll energy of Quatermassters Stores is a bit out of character, but a great way to finish.

Favourite songs

Apache, Man Of Mystery, F.B.I., Midnight, The Savage, Guitar Tango, Quatermassters Stores

I diggit?

Yes. It's often hard to appreciate in the modern context of rock music, but it's definitely worth the effort.

No Respect - Tunes of Decline

No Respect is a ska band from Germany, and Tunes of Decline is their third album, which was released in 2002.

She Changed Her Mind is a great way to kick things off. Built on a high-energy foundation, it also features wonderfully catchy horn lines and choruses.

On the other hand, Bad Joke is quite amateur-hour protest punk-rock. I quite like the anti-sellout message of the vocals, but the instrumentals let it down. Although, it does redeem itself somewhat towards the end, courtesy great ska section.

This hit-and-miss phenomenon is unfortunately quite common throughout the album. Hate The World and Talk About Rebellion have their moments, but are also frustratingly disjointed. Madness & Normality has some fantastic horn lines and a wonderful energy, but the verses are a let-down and the overall composition is a dog's breakfast. And I have similar complaints for Never Slow Down, Cheap Talk and Tunes Of Decline. It's very frustrating, because the songs are just so close to being very enjoyable.

Another punk effort, Brainwashed, works a treat to inject some variety, and also as an enjoyable song in its own right. My highlights are the nicely integrated horn lines and the contrast of the two vocal styles.

Could Care Less is a superb bittersweet ballad. The subtle yet energetic groove reminds me of early Area-7, and it's topped off with a nicely catchy chorus.

Finally, Back Home In Derry is by far the best song on the album. And an all-time favourite ska song of mine. The amusing premise of the song (a German band singing about being on a convict boat to Australia and pining to be back home in their Irish city) is brilliantly told through wonderfully vivid lyrics. The groove of the song has a huge energy, not to mention the infectious sing-a-long chorus. It's up their with Dropkick Murphys at their best. The horn lines also deserve special mention, for being nicely integrated and adding to the depth and texture of the song. It makes a great change from the typical ska approach of a cheesy horn line tacked on to a song. For much of this album, I've whinged about the band's consistency; well it all comes together in this song and the result is brilliant.

Favourite songs

She Changed Her Mind, Could Care Less, Brainwashed, Back Home In Derry 

I diggit?

Yes. The album is very hit-and-miss, but the hits are fantastic.

Various - Let's Do Rocksteady

Yep, more early ska! This compilation was released in 2002. I actually purchased it solely for Stop That Train, which was also included on The Harder They Come soundtrack (hiding behind the title "Draw Your Brakes") that I coincidentally purchased at the same time. Oops.

This is double CD seemingly contains every rocksteady song ever rocorded! Which can either be a good thing, or a bad thing...

Bad news first. Aside from a handful of well-known pop songs, most of the songs blur into each other for me. So I very quickly get bored when trying to actively listen to it.

On the plus side, this same-ness makes for great background music. By putting this CD on, you are guaranteed approximately 2 hours of a gentle mood without imposing any surprises or disturbance.

I diggit?

Sadly, I'm not enough of a rocksteady aficionado to properly appreciate this.

Various - The Harder They Come soundtrack

This is the soundtrack to the 1972 film starring Jimmy Cliff.

The album is bursting with reggae hits, immediately starting with You Can Get It If You Really Want. It's pretty simplistic (therefore getting repetitive after a while), but there's no denying that it's seriously catchy pop music. And while it's quite unusual for the same song to appear twice on the album (first and second-last), somehow I find this quaint and endearing.

Draw Your Brakes (an alternate title for Stop That Train) is one of my all-time favourite rocksteady songs. More specifically, that rocksteady groove is wonderfully enveloping- it's one of those riffs which could happily continue forever. Bliss!

In isolation, Rivers Of Bablyon is probably not a song I would enjoy. But being engrossed in the mood of the album means that I really dig it's gospel style. Similarly, I'm not sure exactly why I like Many Rivers To Cross, but I do! Somehow this is music that skips any logical judgement (not that it's a bad song) and takes a short-cut straight to the soul.

Looking at the list of "favourite songs" below, you might notice that it's only the pop hits. I think this is because the more traditional (calypso-esque) style of reggae isn't really my cup of tea, so unfortunately I can't get into songs like Sweet And Dandy and Shanty Town.

...So, let's back to the hits then. Sitting In Limbo is pop perfection. It's quite simple, yet the hooks are all wonderfully effective. Also, I really like how the intensity gently builds up throughout the song.

Finally, the narrative of the The Harder They Come is fantastic: uplifting and defiant. The backing music is also brilliantly catchy, and I especially enjoy the pre-chorus.

For me, the movie (a pretty ordinary film IMHO) is completely redundant. This collection of songs tells a wonderful narrative all on its own.

Favourite songs

You Can Get It If You Really Want, Draw Your Brakes, Many Rivers To Cross, Sitting In Limbo, The Harder They Come

I diggit?

Absolutely, even if only for the hits.

Judge Dread - Ska Fever

Judge Dead's musical career spanned from 1974 to 1984. This compilation was released in 1998.

The lyrics are purile and annoying. Worse than that, they're also racist and homophobic. Obviously, this is a deal-breaker.

Which is occasionally a shame, because sometimes there's a solid ska/rocksteady groove hiding in the background.

Favourite songs

None.

I diggit?

I regret giving money to the record company that published this.

Various - Three To Tango soundtrack

This is the soundtrack to the 1999 movie. The obvious question is why on earth did I buy a soundtrack to forgettable romantic comedy?? Well, there were a handful of cracking neo-swing songs included, so I thought it would be a convenient way to get a neo-swing sample. So, let's see what the rest of the album reveals...

It doesn't start out well. The jive influences of Jumpin' East of Java and Swing Sweet Pussycat feel too plastic for me.

On the other hand, Maddest Kind Of Love is chock-full of genuine emotion. Yet it is also wonderfully cruisy listen, which makes for a very abstract and enjoyable experience. A particular highlight is the instrumental bridge, where the horns and piano gradually work their way to a gentle climax. I reckon this song is an all-time classic, up there with Mack The Knife.

The tongue-in-cheek sleaze of Here Comes The Snake is fantastic, and well complemented by the rich instrumentals.

Then we make another rapid stylistic jump to Trou Macacq, which is a fine example of Squirrel Nut Zippers' rambling dixie-jazz style.

Although I'm a big fan of Royal Crown Revue, somehow I find that Datin' With No Dough lacks flow. Violent Love might initially bring LOLs due to the inappropriate title, but I think it's more likely that back in the day, the word "violent" merely meant "intense".

This marks the end of the neo-swing content. I tried to avoid being blinkered, thus appreciating the other songs in their own right. But I couldn't really get into any of them, so it was a miserable failure!

Favourite songs

Maddest Kind Of Love, Mr Zoot Suit, Here Comes The Snake, Trou Macacq

I diggit?

Suprisingly... no. The great songs are from great bands, so I should really buy their whole albums instead.

The Offspring- Splinter

Sorry, yeah it's yet another Offspring album... (I actually didn't realise that I also owned this one) Splinter is The Offspring's seventh studio album. It was released in 2003, three years after Conspiracy Of One. 

The Noose kicks off with a great reminder of just how fantastic a trademark Offspring chorus can be. Unfortunately, the rest of the song is quite disjointed.

The audio quality for Long Way Home deserves a mention: it's awful. Similarly, Never Gonna Find Me sounds really muffled. It's all quite strange, since the audio quality on the rest of the album is very good.

While I'm whingeing, Hit That and Spare Me The Details are, of course, awful.

A lot of the songs are a case of "so close, yet so far". For example, Race Against Myself has a great chorus, but the tacky effects in the verses are a deal-breaker (perhaps the effects were a feeble attempt to hide the blandness of the verses?). Can't Get My Head Around You has some great lyrics, and I really like the contrastingly quiet pre-chorus. But the rest of the song is frustratingly disjointed. And Lightening Rod is just a good chorus short of being a highlight.

The Offspring have done some pretty tacky ska over the years, but The Worst Hangover Ever takes the cake as the tackiest of the tacky! It's amusingly bad.

Speaking of amusing, Da Hui is great fun. And When You're In Prison is a hilarious parody of 'ole time jazz. These are my actually two favourite songs on the album, which is a pretty poor reflection on its "proper" song siblings.

Favourite songs

Da Hui, When You're in Prison

I diggit?

No.

Gyroscope- Cohesion

Cohesion is Gyroscope's fourth album. It was released in 2010, two years after Breed Obsession.

Live Without You kicks off with a snappy and interesting verses. Unfortunately, the chorus lets down the team. I Still Taste Blood reverses the situation- a great chorus but forgettable verses. Of the two songs, somehow I prefer the I Still Taste Blood (which perhaps indicates that choruses are more important than verses?!).

My sole reason for buying this album was hearing Baby I'm Getting Better on the radio. Maybe my memory is playing tricks on me, but on listening to it recently I was a bit surprised at how quick the tempo is. Anyway, the music is pretty generic, with only the occasional interesting chord progression to spice things up. But the narrative is absolutely inspiring. I don't even really understand the story, but somehow it resonates very deeply with me. It's an all-time favourite song of mine.

The rest of the album doesn't really appeal, but I guess that's the risk you take when you buy an album on the back of one song! Most of the time, it's just that the style doesn't appeal to me (ie "it's not you, it's me"...). But what the hell is going on with What Do I Know About Pain??? It sounds exactly like a typical Katy Perry song. In other words, awful.

To end on a positive note, Working With Wood nicely injects some variety into the album. It's dripping with emotion, and the bridge is a particular highlight. White Dove / Black Crow has a great chorus, but unfortunately soon runs out of ideas and becomes tired.

2021 update: Coming back to this album after a long hiatus, I'm really enjoying Some of the Places I Know, Working with Wood, Don't Forget Me When I Die, Run, White Dove / Black Crow, and yes, even What Do I Know About Pain (mostly thanks to the chorus). It is fairly generic pop-rock stuff, but maybe the nostalgia is kicking in these days. Also, the recording quality is great, in particular with a stadium-rock feel with huge scale.

Favourite songs

I Still Taste Blood, Baby I'm Getting Better, Some of the Places I Know, Don't Forget Me When I Die, Run, White Dove / Black Crow

I diggit?

It's a similar situation to The Refreshments: an album bought on the back of a single song that time has revealed to be a bit of an overlooked gem. Also, Baby I'm Getting Better is still single-handedly worth the price of admission alone.

The Refreshments- Fizzy Fuzzy Big & Buzzy

This is the debut album from The Refreshments. It was released in 1996, four years after they formed.

Things kick off with Blue Collar Suicide, which is pretty generic 1990s rock. Not really inspiring, but I guess it's fine for an opener.

European Swallow is raises the bar by revealing the band's talent: a strong sense of attitude in the vocals. As in "you've got an attitude problem, son"! Somehow I really enjoy getting into this mood while listening, with the tongue firmly planted in cheek. Having said that, unfortunately I find European Swallow to be musically quite bland.

But Down Together and Girly both hit the nail on the head, and I'm not really sure what makes the difference, compared to European Swallow. Maybe it's the non-sequitur lyrics. Maybe because they're more similar to Banditos...

Ahhh... Banditos. The sole reason I purchased this album, and still a massive drawcard for me. It has the aforementioned attitude (I really like the random grunts througout!) and oddball narrative in spades. It's topped off with some super-catchy pop hooks and a great singalong chorus. Fantastic.

The album takes a more melancholy approach from here on, and it isn't my cup of tea. However, I'm always a sucker for an off-beat guitar, so of course I really like Mekong.

Favourite songs

Down Together, Mekong, Girly, Banditos

I diggit?

It's probably a case of "less is more" for me here. There's a handful of songs I enjoy here, but the other 8 or so songs often feel like eating one's veggies in order to get to the dessert. On the other hand, I bought this on the strength of Banditos alone (it's on one of my favourite car tapes), so any enjoyment found in the rest of the album is probably a bonus.

Dragon- Cuts From The Tough Times

Dragon were originally formed in 1975 and were still touring as recently as a couple of years ago. However this compilation covers the period of 1984 - 1986.

I purchased this compilation solely based on one chorus (can you guess which one??). This is despite the new-wave genre not being my cup of tea.

...And this CD has done nothing to change that.

I find many of the songs annoying, and the "highlight" is merely the songs I'm completely nonplussed about. There are a few songs with catchy choruses, but the choruses soon get played to death and are all quite similar, so this appeal wears off quickly. 

It isn't helped by the thin new-wave sound, which neuters the punch from the drums, bass and vocals. Also, the peaks and troughs within each song have been sanded away into constant, nonchalant blandness (like many modern pop songs).

However... then there is Rain. The lyrics are nicely poetic and full of great imagery. And the pre-chorus perfectly builds up the anticipation. Anticipation which is resolved with an incredibly exhilarating chorus.

Favourite songs

Rain

I diggit?

Nope. Rain is a highlight, but I'd be perfectly happy with hearing it occasionally on the radio.

Los Chicos- We Sound Amazing But We Look Like Shit

This is Los Chicos' fourth album, which was released in 2009. My introduction to the band was by unintentionally seeing a live gig of theirs. I had a blast, and purchased this album.

The first song, A Band, gets straight into the self-indulgent party rock. Unfortunately, in this case both the lyrics and instrumental fail to inspire. Headphones improves things with its infectious energy, but after a chorus or two I find it a bit of a one-trick pony.

We Sound Amazing But We Look Like Shit is basically more of the same, but with the added appeal of some amusing lyrics. This must be the magic ingredient that was previously missing, because I quite enjoy this song.

The rockabilly-esque style of Brothers From Different Mothers works very well, and gives some much-needed variety.

By the time we get to Manu & Pina's Excellent Adventure, the energy is still there in spades, but it's all getting pretty stale for me. Perhaps this is largely due to the lyrics again having very little appeal. It's a similar story for the next few songs, too.

Thankfully, the album ends on a high, thankds to the honky-tonk piano variety provided by What's Cookin', and the wonderfully oddball Not Tonight.

Favourite songs

We Sound Amazing But We Look Like Shit, Brothers From Different Mothers 

I diggit?

If they ever came back for another gig, I'd be there in a heartbeat. The album certainly has its highlights, but I can't help thinking that whenever I'm in this kind of mood, I'd reach for an album by The Hives' instead.

Various- Short Music For Short People

This punk compilation features 101 songs(!) and was released in 1999. I won't sit here and comment on all 101 songs, so here are highlights (ie whittled down to "just" the top 20...)

Many of the bands approached the 30-second songs as an opportunity for an immature quick gag. Fizzy Bangers, Terrorgruppe, Samian (nice banjo work!) and No Means No are all good for a quick laugh. Special mention goes to Aerobridge for the tale of footwear masturbation (of course!) and The Mr. T Experience for cramming as many profanities as possible into 30 seconds. Blink-182 also excelled with the "Parental Advisory" content, with a song that is also happens to have an engaging musical structure. Great stuff, I reckon.

At the other end of the seriousness spectrum, punk-rock is one of few genres where 30 seconds worth of song is plenty for a complete artwork. It's quite incredible, really. Perhaps this compilation has invented one of the purest artforms ever, with the song stripped back to its essence of verse, chorus and conclusion. Anyway, enough philosophising... the songs from Chixdiggit, The Living End, The Ataris, Lagwagon, No Use For A Name, 59 Times The Pain, Dance Hall Crashers (with their trademark silky-smooth style providing a nice contrast), One Man Army, Pennywise, 7 Seconds, The Queers, Radio Days and Nicotine are all nicely "complete" short songs, which lack nothing for being restricted to 30 seconds.

The icing on the cake is Bad Religion, who have produced 39-second perfection. Their song is a wonderfully structured musical journey, complete with a variety of styles and a nice progression tying it all together.

Favourite songs

Fizzy Bangers, Terrorgruppe, Aerobridge, Blink-182, The Mr. T Experience, Samiam, No Means No, Chixdiggit, Bad Religion, The Ataris, Lagwagon, 59 Times The Pain, No Use For A Name, Dance Hall Crashers, One Man Army, Pennywise, 7 Seconds, The Queers, Radio Days, Nicotine
 

I diggit?

Yes, the fun may be sliced into 30-second increments, but there's still plenty of it.

Wolfgang Parker- Room Nineteen

Room Nineteen is Wolfgang Parker's third album. It was released in 2007, seven years after Octoboure.

Among The Ash Heaps jumps straight in to a furiousl introduction to the style of glam-rock meets neo-swing. The song rapidly jumps all over the place, but somehow the disjointed structure just adds to the thrill-a-minute appeal. So I really enjoy the hooks, the energy and the style which holds it all together. It's the perfect modern implementation of a band rocking out in pinstripe suits.

Shiseido, Room Nineteen and The Heat are more of the same, and the results are also fantastic and unique. Boiled down to its essence, the combination of crunching rock guitars and a swung ride cymbal works a treat. Room Nineteen also features some standout lyrics, thanks to the very vivid (and sometimes disturbing) Tarrantino-esque storytelling.

This is a bit nit-picky, but these heavier songs have some strange quirks in their recording quality: a very synthesised reverb for the vocals and several high-pitched sounds - such as an open hi-hat - feeling "scratchy" rather than sweet. Also, I find the higher frequencies slightly muffled in general.

Mata Hari sees the album slow down for a softer ballad style. But rather than disappointment that they've taken the foot off the pedal (the distortion pedal? sorry, that was a terrible pun...), the wonderfully poetic lyrics and strong mood make this enjoyable in its own way.

Half Way Around The World is also dripping with a more relaxed style, thanks to the piano part. Although I do find the chorus quite forgettable. Sing Baby Swing is more of the same, and this time the chorus is a catchy highlight.

It's time for a dose of insanity with The Mice The Demons And The Piggies. The obscure, madman lyrics are a highlight of the album for me. And the infectious yet oddball jitterbug style is a highlight in its own right, also nicely building in intensity throughout the song. It all adds up to brilliant left-field fun.

Lonely Just Like Me also has a dose of frenetic madness, this time a bit more serious, but again with great storytelling and some beautiful metaphors.

Smoothly crooning vocals and very regimented backing instruments (almost with military uniformity) seems like an awkward combination, but Whisper Something German brings them together. Brilliantly. This strange contrast that results is indeed perfectly summarised by the phrase "whisper something German in my ear"!

To Say You Love Me sees the album briefly return to headbanging glam-rock. Which is another example that rock'n'roll plus swing is indeed a perfect recipe!

Then, on the other hand, Blood Red Water is a beautifully soft and gentle ballad. It never ceases to amaze me how something so humble can be just as powerful.

Favourite songs

Among The Ash Heaps, Shiseido, Room Nineteen, The Heat, Mata Hari, Sing Baby Swing, The Mice The Demons And The Piggies, Lonely Just Like Me, Whisper Something German, To Say You Love Me, Blood Red Water

I diggit?

Very much so.

Dean Kennedys- Give Me Convenience Or Give Me Death

This compilation was released in 1987, one year after the album Bedtime For Democracy.

My favourite moments for the Dead Kennedys are usually while they have a rockabilly-esque groove going on, such as Police Truck and Holiday In Cambodia. The menacing groove is nicely complemented by the jangly guitars. For Holiday In Cambodia, it gets even better with the vocals, thanks to some wonderfully vivid and biting lyrics.

However, most of the other songs on this CD fall at the other end of the scale, unfortunately. While I'm normally quite receptive to a bit of immature, tongue-in-cheek punk; songs such as Life Sentence, Short Songs, Straight A's, etc just come across as a noisy, incoherent mess. I think they are going for "zany" appeal, but without any real substance to back it up. The Prey mixes things up a bit with it's experimental "lounge" style, but again it has no appeal for me.

Pull My Strings shows great potential with a catchy surf-rock riff at the start, but unfortunately soon turns into a dog's breakfast. However, the chorus is quite amusing. Similarly, I Fought The Law might have been an amusing in-joke at the time, but that time has well and truly passed...

Although quite non-sequitur for a lounge band, the immature frat-boy tale of Too Drunk To Fuck is par for the course for a punk-rock band. So while this version has great energy, in the end I much prefer the absurdity of Nouvelle Vague's cover.

To end on a positive note, I really dig the strangeness of California Uber Alles's chorus, and the degenerated prog-rock bridge. It's all very oddball, and I like it.

Favourite songs

Police Truck, California Uber Alles, Holiday In Cambodia

I diggit?

Maybe it's just that a case that 17 songs is too many. I really enjoy three of them, but wading through the other 14 dulls the appeal.

The Offspring- Days Go By

Yet another Offspring album?? Don't worry, this is the last one! The reason for the binge is that I became obsessed with The Offspring after seeing them at Soundwave one year. (The binge also included Splinter, but that one very quickly found its way to the rubbish bin, of course...)

Days Go By is The Offspring's ninth album. It was released in 2012, four years after Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace.

The Future Is Now kicks things off with brilliantly poetic lyrics, and nicely incorporating a bit of emo/goth styling. This means crunchy guitars in verses and soaring chorus; both of which are traditional Offspring qualities, but this new twist on them is a nice new treat. It's more of the same with Secret Show From The Underground, which is totally fine by me!

There's a few grips though, the first of which affects the whole album: recording quality. The bass is boomy and the cymbals are often harsh and messy. Next up, Hurting As One features a vintage Offspring chorus (translation: a brilliant chorus), complete with trademark howls in the background. Unfortunately, the the rest of the song is too disjointed to get absorbed into.

Sorry, but things here are gonna get worse before they get better...

On Days Go By, I can't get past the notion that the main riff is a rip-off of Foo Fighters' Times Like These. Actually, the whole song smells pretty similar. And I Wanna Secret Family constantly reminds me of Bowling For Soup's 1985. Hmmm...

Next in the firing line is Cruising California. What the hell is this rubbish? Katy Perry perhaps?? The Offspring have produced some pretty shameful efforts for pop singles over the years, and this is possibly the worst of them. I actually struggle to believe this is the same band as the rest of the album.

All I Have Left Is You is another superficial pop effort, again at odds with The Offspring's traditions. However, despite my stubborn ideological objections, it's a fairly passable pop-rock-ballad song.

OC Guns also shows worrying signs at the start, that perhaps we are in for another tacky pop effort. But it soon reveals itself to be a rocksteady masterpiece; a fantastic groove overlaid with badass lyrics, giving off vibes of Cherry Poppin' Daddies' Susquehanna album at its best.

For me, The Offspring suddenly made a lot more sense when someone explained that they should be considered similar to a modern-day Ramones. What's my point here? Dirty Magic is a direct reminder of this theory, thanks to a guitar riff that sounds a lot like some later Ramones songs. As for the rest of the song, the lyrics don't have any appeal for me, so unfortunately I can't really get into it.

Skipping over some more fairly lacklustre songs, we arrive at Dividing By Zero and are finally treated to some fast-paced energy, plus a brilliant and bouncy chorus. There's not much to say that hasn't already been said about earlier Offspring songs, but after all these years it still remains a recipe for heaps of fun.

Then Slim Pickens Does The Right Thing And Rides The Bomb To Hell features some fantastically insightful, imagery-laden and slightly obscure lyrics (eg "Dance around the fire that we once believed in"). Which all sits on top of a wonderfully infectious bouncing energy.

Favourite songs

The Future Is Now, Secret Show From The Underground, OC Guns, Dividing By Zero, Slim Pickens Does The Right Thing (and The Offspring write a ridiculously long song title!)

I diggit?

Before the last two songs, I was thinking that the good times were few and far between on this album, but then Dividing By Zero and Slim Pickens appear from nowhere to save the day. In the end, it's a great album.

The Offspring- Ixnay On The Hombre

Ixnay On The Hombre is The Offspring's forth album. It was released in 1997, three years after Smash.

This also means it was released only one year before Americana, which was a surprising discovery to me. Ixnay and Americana are generally considered bookends of old-school and new-age Offspring, and I never realised how short the gap between these eras actually is. 

The Meaning Of Life has plenty of energy and some pop novelties tacked on to grab a bit of attentions. But fundamentally there are no effective hooks in the songwriting, so the song doesn't have an real lasting appeal. The same goes for Mota.

But then I quite like Me & My Old Lady, so my opinion doesn't make any sense! In this case, the cheesy pop-rock is somehow a bit of silly fun.

Things get very serious for Gone Away, and the results are incredible. It has all the power of a stadium-rock anthem, yet also with the humblest of emotions. A highlight for me is the unusual drum pattern, which perhaps distinguishes the song from the millions of other rock ballads out there. And, of course, the soaring singalong chorus, which is an all-time classic.

All I Want is energetic, messy and unrefined. I totally dig it! A particular highlight is the howling chorus. However, I might be biased about this song, because I have fond memories of it from the videogame Crazy Taxi. It's the same happy story for Way Down The Line, which also adds some great pop hooks.

As usual, this Offspring album features a lame attempt at ska. Although the a Buck-O-Nine style used for Don't Pick It Up actually works quite well for a change, shock horror!

Finally, Amazed brings in a bit of grunge influence to inject some variety. I find the verses a bit indistinct, but the chorus holds the song together nicely.

Favourite songs

Gone Away, All I Want, Way Down The Line

I diggit?

It turns out that Ixnay isn't quite the consistent and well-resolved album I thought it was. But a couple of high-energy romps, plus the rock-anthem brilliance of Gone Away, means that I'm glad to own a copy.

The Offspring- Americana

Americana is The Offspring's fifth album, which was hugely successful. It was released in 1998, one year after Ixnay On The Hombre.

Have You Ever is perhaps a signpost that this album is a turning point for The Offspring. The majority of the song is pretty generic early-Offspring. And there's nothing wrong with that! Then the ending gives us a quick sample of the upcoming new-age Offspring sound: catchy Ramones-esque pop-punk. Of which I am also a fan. End Of The Line is a solid execution of this new style.

Unfortunately, Pretty Fly For A White Guy has been played to death. At one stage, it seemed like it was the only song on the radio! I think that once upon a time I enjoyed the tongue-in-cheek pop-punk, but that was lasted for the first few thousand times I heard it...

On the other hand, Why Don't You Get A Job never had any appeal in the first place, and only got more and more annoying with each listen. Walla Walla is another example of shallow, trashy pop-punk.

The Kids Aren't Alright manages the musical miracle of delivering fast-paced energy which is also brimming with powerful emotion. It's bouncing around with shivers running down your spine. Incredible. I guess a lot of it is due to the brilliant narrative and perfectly singalong chorus.

It's a similar situation for Feelings. A slight let-down is the chorus, which - despite being fantastic when played live - somehow doesn't stand up as well to the scrutiny of chin-stroking in a armchair.

The song Americana feels heavily inspired by "Bad Habit" from Smash. Which means it's a great song, of course!

Finally, Pay The Man is quite left field, by bringing in an Arabic influence. The integration with punk-rock is a bit awkward, but it's still an interesting experiment.

Favourite songs

Have You Ever, The Kids Aren't Alright, Americana

I diggit?

As a transitional album for the band's style, I don't think it's their best work. Regardless, there's much enjoyment to be had here (which probably means that I'm a sucker for The Offspring...)

The Clash- Combat Rock

Combat Rock is The Clash's fifth album. It was released in 1982, two years after "Sandinista!".

Know Your Rights is a passable intro. The band's trademark bleak and political vocal style could use better support from the instrumentals, but it still works out ok to establish the mood.

The headline songs of the album- Should I Stay Or Should I Go and Rock The Casbah- have never really appealed to me. The former works well as catchy pop, but doesn't have any lasting appeal. Rock the Casbah has great lyrics, but I'm not a fan of the '80s influence.

Instead, Straight To Hell is the highlight of the album for me. It sets a wonderfully intense yet sparse post-apocolyptic mood, much like The Wanderer by Johnny Cash / U2.

At the other end of the enjoyment spectrum is Overpowered by Funk. Sorry for stubbornly pigeonholing a band... but... a funk song by The Clash? Really?? Even if it were a great song, it's still completely at odds with their image and ideals.

To get to the crux of the matter, the rest of the album is pretty mediocre, and I think the reason is amateur-hour instrumentals. This is because the bleak vocals are a given, and on previous albums I think it's a big part of their style. But they rely on the smooth and wonderfully layered instrumentals to offset the bitterness. And Combat Rock has, despite the varied world-music influences, pretty uninspiring backing instrumentals.

Inoculated City even takes a lot of cues from Lost In The Supermarket (off London Calling), but unfortunately with very little of its songwriting brilliance.

Favourite songs

Straight to Hell

I diggit?

Well I can't help wondering if this really is the same band that gave us the London Calling album?? So, despite being a huge fan of The Clash, this one is going straight into the bin.

The Offspring- Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace

Well, having just finished listening to Pennywise, here's another punk-rock album but it couldn't be any more different! Here we have The Offspring's eighth album, which was released in 2008 (five years after Splinter).

Half-truism wastes no time getting into Offspring's key talent: infectious, fast-paced energy that is bags of fun. Half-truism also sees some dabbling into emo-esque breakdowns, which unfortunately feel a bit disjointed sometimes, due to some awkward transitions. But they do give the song an interesting structure and provide nice constrast. I only wish the song ended on a high, with a final burst of vintage Offspring energy.

The final song, Rise And Fall also cranks out said energy for the chorus with great results. Unfortunately, the rest of the song is a shallow ditty and gets old very quickly. Similarly, Takes Me Nowhere and Nothingtown feel generic and uninspired. And Takes Me Nowhere is strangely quieter than the previous song, perhaps due to poor mastering.

Warning: rants ahead... Trust In You is single-handedly ruined by the awful keyboard backing in the chorus. Perhaps I'm over-reacting, but it's a disturbing reminder of the woeful efforts of Hit That, Special Delivery, etc. Yuk! And then there's Offspring's somewhat amusing history of cringeworthy attempts at ska, a tradition which Let's Hear It For Rock Bottom continues, this time in a Goldfinger style. Finally, Stuff Is Messed Up has a cracking riff, but the song is let down by... ummm... everything else...

The goth-rock influences (and perhaps U2) of A Lot Like Me actually work quite well. It's not a favourite song for me, but I do appreciate the variety it injects into the album. Kristy Are You Doing Ok? is a pretty generic skate-punk ballad, but somehow I really like it. On the other hand, the other ballad, Fix You is just whiney and painful.

Finally, there's a song which is in another league: You're Gonna Go Far Kid. The song jumps all over the place with contrasting sections that are slightly disjointed, although this madness also keeps the song fresh somehow. Each section is pure gold in its own right, such as the fuax-disco verses to the swirling pre-chorus. And, of course, the highlight is the bouncing, 110% energy chorus. Thrill-a-minute brilliance.

Favourite songs

Half-truism, You're Gonna Go Far Kid, Kristy Are You Doing Ok

I diggit?

Yes. Pretty much solely for You're Gonna Go Far Kid, which is an all-time favourite Offspring song of mine.

Pennywise- Full Circle

Full Circle is Pennywise's fourth album. It was released in 1997, two years after Home Movies.

Oi-punk isn't really my cup of tea. Therefore it's no surprise that I find Fight Till You Die, Date With Destiny, Get A Life, You'll Never Make It and Nowhere Fast to be an indistinctive wall of noise. It doesn't help that the lyrics are hard to understand and the sound is quite "thin". Broken is the exception. I have no idea what makes it different, but I do quite like it.

Maybe it's sacrilegious, but I much prefer the slower, riff-rock style. Society has a fantastic instrumental intro, and the groove carriers nicely into the song. And the contrast it brings means I actually enjoy the fast-paced energy of the chorus for a change. Final Day follows the same recipe but somehow leaves me cold. What If I is another great song, and I guess proves it's not a fluke! Every Time also uses light-and-shade to great effect, resulting in a very enjoyable song.

The tempo of Bro Hymn jumps around over the place. The musicianship and recording quality are both very amateur-hour. Many of the lyrics are unintelligible... objectively there are many flaws... but, just knowing that it's an one to a young departed friend is more than enough. And that timeless singalong chorus riff conveys more emotion than mere words ever could. It all makes for a flawed and beautiful song.

Favourite songs

Society, Broken, Every Time, What If I, Bro Hymn Tribute

I diggit?

Tough call. Punk-rock takes time for the subtleties to emerge, so I made the effort to listen to this album many times, desperately hoping for something special to reveal itself. In the end, there were a few songs I liked, but it's still an album I'd rarely be inspired to listen to. So, in the end, the answer is "not really".

Offspring- Smash

Smash is Offspring's third album. It was released in 1994, two years after Ignition.

This is one of my all-time favourite albums, both for the individual songs and the stage of my life that accompanied this album. It is therefore too closely linked to many fond memories for me to have any hope of judging it objectively! So, here are some highlights:

- Bad Habit's menacing intro, irresistible energy and the amusingly obscene bridge (which was quite controversial back in the day, but it's not a patch on some of the profanity you hear in pop music these days!)

- The brilliantly catchy choruses of Gotta Get Away and Something To Believe In.

- Come Out And Play. Almost every element is a highlight: that distinctive drum intro, the irresistible guitar riff, etc. But even amongst all this greatness, the lyrics still stand out as the centrepiece; they deliver a very poignant message with great colour and emotion. Interestingly, I find many similarities between Come Out And Play and Pretty Fly For A White Guy (but obviously the former is a million times better!)

- Self Esteem is another masterpiece. Again, the lyrics take centre stage, but the unusual drum patterns also stand out as a highlight for me. The lyrics are powerfully humble yet sad, making for a soaringly drunk singalong and one of the all-time great rock ballads.

- The mindless energy of Killjoy Powerhead is thoroughly enjoyable.

- What Happened To You is part of the curious Offspring tradition of cringeingly bad ska! Perhaps it falls into the "so bad it's good" category?!

- The great message in Smash's lyrics.

(Sorry to finish with a whinge, but the recording quality is surprisingly poor... spanning from the weak bass to the muddy guitars to the high-pitched sounds being just noise.)

Favourite songs

Bad Habit, Gotta Get Away, Something To Believe In, Self Esteem, Killjoy Powerhead, Smash

I diggit?

Absolutely!