NOFX- THE WAR ON ERRORISM

[teenkiller]

Has anyone picked up this album? I got to say its probably THE BEST or at least second best album NOFX has released (its also their 12th in case you were wondering). Also one of the most kickass punk albums I have heard in a while. These guys have done a great job. STRONGLY RECOMMENDED. If you haven't heard the album or even NOFX in general I recommend downloading the song The Separation of Church and Skate. It's about how Fat Mike (the singer) is sick of the newer punk bands and even fans for that matter ("When did punk rock become so safe? When did the scene become a joke? The kids who used to live for beer and speed now want their fries and coke..."). Definitley destined to be a classic. I'll give a track by track review later on. Well thats all for now GOoD JOURNEY my fellow schmoes.

[teenkiller]

I guess nobody has heard the album yet but heres my review anyways:

1. THE SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND SKATE- A GREAT OPENING TRACK! Starts off with a soundclip of a father talking to his children and what they should do for the day. They cheer at the suggestion of going to a punk rock show, which is actually saying how saccharine the scene has become as of late. Then it goes into the song which is definitley one of NOFX'S best! The speed is frantic and more along the lines of songs like Pump Up the Valuum and Dinosaurs Will Die. Fat Mike sings about how the punk scene has become less ballsy and more of a joke. He and Eric Melvin yell the lyrics out back and forth:

"Stop singing songs about girls and love!
You killed the owl you freed the dove!
Confrontation and politics!
Replaced with harmonies and shticks!
When did punk rock become so tame!
These fukcing bands all sound the same!
We want our fights! We want our thugs!
We want our burns! We want our drugs!
Where is the violent apathy?!
These fukcing records rated G!!"

2. THE IRRATIONALITY OF RATIONALITY- This is another fast tune, but it doesn't concern the punk scene. This ones about corporate greed and how major corporations don't feel guilt for the people they step on. More than halfway through the song the beat slows down for a few moments and then picks up full speed again. An old trick but it still worked and sounded really cool.

3. FRANCO UN-AMERICAN- A political song about how Americans don't bother becoming concerned with major issues. References to Howard Zinn, Naom Chomsky, Michael Moore, and even old school punk band Reagan Youth are made. Its a slower song and has a trippy sounding synth vibe for part of it which might disappoint some fans but I found it refreshing. Not too corny sounding and the lyrics are fun to listen to. It's important to understand that Fat Mike doesn't hate America, he would just like some things to be improved on what is an already great country.

4. THE IDIOTS ARE TAKING OVER- Another political song. This ones faster and longer. It's more about how the people who are brave enough and smart enough to speak up to what they think is wrong in the country are shunned and quieted down. Fat Mike's cleverness is really shown on this track. This is a track that I listened to over and over again many times and still don't find it tiring. He manages to make the lyrics come off in a funny jokey way while keeping it serious at the same time so it doesn't become a bore. This is the track that they released for the EP and will also be released on Punk-O-Rama 8, and with good reason. It is definitley a keeper.

5. She's Nubs- Jokey song. Hey it IS NOFX you knew they would put some funny shit in here too. This tunes about a girl with uh... nubs! She's got no arms or legs. No offense to any people missing any body parts. Starts off slow and then moves into an insanely fast beat. Another solid song.

6. Mattersville- This one was also on the Fat Music for Fat People 6 comp. A pretty different NOFX song. Not a bad thing though as NOFX likes to try new things and most of the time it works well (except for Timmy the Turtle ugh!). Mattersville is a town where all punks go to retire to when they get older. Hearing this song and the way its described made me wish that it actually existed. A bunch of people, most notably Davey Havok of AFI, are mentioned in this song. A very decent entry on the track listing.

7. Decom-Poseur- The title might fool you into thinking that this song is about poseurs. It did it to me. Actually it isn't though. It's the second love song on the album. Usually punk bands singing love songs might sound corny but this one stands out very well. Mostly because of the excellent fast beat and the fact that Fat Mike doesn't use the same old recycled lyrics from thousands of other songs. These lyrics don't really sound all that cheesy and the nasal voice makes them work.

8. Medio-core- The second song on here about the punk scene. This one is a lot slower than Separation of Church and Skate though. The target here is the bands who put on the same mediocre shows and use completely unoriginal and stolen riffs of popular songs from yesterdecade. He asks "Is it absurd, to compose music noone's ever heard?" Good question. The funny part is that while Fat Mike is singing this song about the unoriginal and predictable they keep on changing the beat of the song throughout. By the time it finishes it doesn't even sound like the song it started out to be. Super job!

9. Anarchy Camp- Alrighty. As much as I love the album here comes the one song that I don't really care for. This one is for the ska fans and although I like some ska this tune doesn't really work for me. Not entirely bad but not nowhere near as great as all the other tracks. It's basically about the joys of anarchy camp. Obviously. Pretty odd that they would decide to put a slower ska song with sax and trumpet for the theme of anarchy. You know why they did? Cause its actually making fun of the anarchist lifestlye. Don't you feel silly now?

10. American Errorist (I Hate Hate Haters)- A great tune promoting hate. No no no! Not hate towards your fellow man but hate towards injustice and evil doers. He's basically singing about the president as they really hate Bush. The idea is for everyone to unite their hate against Bush. Let's just all share that hate!

I'll finish up the rest of these reviews later.

Well thats all for now GOoD JOURNEY my fellow schmoes.

[badberry]

I also really like this album. The Seperation of Church and Skate is a great tune, and very true. Just curious, you said you thought it was their 2nd best, which do you consider the best?

Personally I'm partial to White Trash..., but Punk in Drublic is close.

[teenkiller]

PUNK IN DRUBLIC (which is widely considered to be their best) and WHITE TRASH, TWO HEEBS, AND A BEAN are both excellent albums but my personal favorite is PUMP UP THE VALUUM. I just think its the funnest and the funniest. Well thats all for now GOoD JOURNEY my fellow schmoes.

[Kastman]

ive changed my opinion on nofx, i didnt use to like em, but now i love em, in a non homosexual kinda way, not that there is anything wrong with that..... i havent bought the album yet, but its on my to do list.

[ofmknockoff]

I used to be a NOFX fan but then one day I listened to them and hated it. Since then I have never liked it, or punk in general for that matter but that's another story, but some kids must love them or be really stupid because I sold all of my very used CDs for full price to kids at my school. MMWWHAHAHA!!!

[Pootie]

I'm a fan of So Long and Thanks for the Shoes and The Decline. But I like everything they do pretty much. Great satirists.