Hopelessly Devoted to You

(Hopeless)
by Joshua Brown

Yet another collection of pop punksters who straddle the line of influence between Bad Religion and the Descendents. Though it should be established already that there are proportionately far too many bands who sound like this, some of the songs aren’t half bad. Holland’s Funeral Oration have a genuine approach to hardcore of the melodic variety, never seeming at a loss for things to sing about (an insidious element in most of today’s NOFX wannabes). Falling Sickness succeed for the most part as Operation Ivy proteges. Other highlights are the Nobodys, the compilation’s rawest band by a long shot, and Schlong, whose cut is a silly, countrified punk showtune from their Punk Side Story that’s pulled off surprisingly well. The biggest downer on the album was definitely 88 Fingers Louie‘s cover of the Misfits’ “Night of the Living Dead.” Some vocalists just can’t hold their “Whoooah!’s,” know what I mean? Other contributors to Hopelessly Devoted to You are Guttermouth, Digger, White Kaps, and the Bollweevils.