There are good pop-punk albums, and then there are bad pop-punk albums. But one thing that all bands in the genre have in common, are that they all worship at the church of the Descendents.
Kris Roe of The Ataris openly loves them, and if it wasn’t for Milo and the gang, there would be no NOFX, Blink 182 or the like. The Descendents are the grandfathers of pop-punk. They were the first band to write songs about girls, and how life sucks. And boy, did they do it well.
“Everything Sucks” is an absolute classic. I really cannot use enough superlatives to describe how good this CD really is. Basically, if you like moderately fast, melodic punk rock, you MUST own this CD. There are no two ways about it. Your record collection is not complete until you own this CD.
Some fools argue (incorrectly) that “Milo Goes To College” is their best CD. But it isn’t. This is the defining popular punk moment, the record which is essential. Basically, everything you have heard before originated from this lot.
“Everything Sux” whips the album into a frenzied beginning, and “I’m The One,” which any broken-hearted fool can easily associate with (yours truly included), is an absolute masterpiece. “Coffee Mug” is a 30-second gem about the pleasures of all things caffeine, whilst “Sick-O-Me” is another song about the female species.
But the topics covered don’t sound jaded, one thing that really stands out about this Epitaph release is that it still sounds so fresh and innovative, even though so many bands have tried to rip them off.
“When I Get Old” is a clever and thoughtful insight into the future, and “She Loves Me” is another classic. The list of good songs is absolutely endless. The only dull moment is “Eunuch Boy,” but even then it isn’t that bad. I’m just being ultra-picky.
At around 30 minutes and weighing in with 15 tracks, “Everything Sucks” doesn’t outstay its welcome. Infact, it leaves you begging for more. So much so, that you should really put its modern day equivalent on straight after. And that, for anyone lame enough not to know, is the Ataris‘ orgasmic “Blue Skies…” opus, which has me froathing at the mouth on a daily basis.
To sum “Everthing Sucks” up, I’ll do it in just one monosyllabic word.
Buy.
Paul Savage.