Lagwagon have been around the punk blocks all before. In this, their 10th year
in the business they could be described as punk rock legends. They have always
been tagged as the typical Fat Wreck band. Melodic, stop start, fast paced...
screeching vocals from the instantly recognisable Joey Cape. They are not
everyone's cup of tea, but few would deny them as pioneers at the melodic end
of the scale.
The album kicks off with the extremly powerful 'Island of Shame'. Everything
you love about Lagwagon is included in this song. Ingenius lyrics with the song
covering the narrow mindedness of folk in a small town. Plenty of passion that
instantly strikes a chord. It is followed up with a quick sharp song in the shape of 'Lazy'. It's hard not to enjoy a song with such lyrics as 'Look at my Cat, why can't I live like that, all other animals do nothing but eat and shit' Indeed!
The pace is slowed down a little for 'Know it All'. A song in which most people in punk rock circles can relate to about a few to many people being elitist... But I’m sure you have never encountered that before?
The following track is in my opinion the highlight of the album. There are few
songs that you will find faster and no more polished than 'Stokin the Neighbours'. From the moment the peircing drum intro begins to the guitar solo towards the end you feel appeased to what you have just listened too.
'Give it back' and 'Rust' follow and bring a more sinister feel to the album. Joey Capes extreme talent as a song writer is impeccably displayed as he writes about a Father beating up his son and religous difficulties respectfully. This is no happy go lucky 'my girl has dumped me’ affair! 'Goin South' ups the tempo again about the perils of getting lost on the way to a gig. 'Dischords' is another dark affair, with 'Coffee and Cigarettes' following a similar pattern. Next up is a joyfull cover of Van Morrison's 'Brown Eyed Girl'. Can't go wrong with a bunch of Cali punks
covering a 'best party tape in the world 7' tune! 'Whipping Boy' is one of the few lovelorn songs on the album, and with 'No One' is a subject we will all have to face upto in the coming years... RESPONSIBILITY! The song tackles the issue about coming of age and taking on
all the things we dread, but hopefully our futures wont come with such a bitter
ending as displayed in this track.
The album completes with a secret track of the guys covering LL Cool J's 'Momma
said knock you out'. A surreal end to a superb album that should grace any self
respecting punk's collection. For fast paced, thought out and well conceived
punk tunes look no further... All aboard the Lagwagon!
Jay
