MxPx – Life In General – Review

MxPx

Life In General (Tooth & Nail)
by Scott Hefflon

After last year’s thoroughly entertaining On The Cover (featuring the young punk band covering songs by Bryan Adams, Buddy Holly, Joy Electric, The Alter Boys, A-Ha, The Blasters, Keith Green, and bassist/vocalist Mike Herrera’s other band The Cootees), MxPx releases a full-length, Life In General, and a five-song EP, Move To Bremerton. The 17-song Life In General opens with simple guitar chug similar to “Summer of 69” and declares, “Emotion is my middle name.” From there, “Middlename” milks those three or more chords into a pop/punk anthem about a girl saying mean things to you and how that makes you feel. Just prior to the bleak, gaze-with-a troubled-look-into-the-distance bridge, Mike clears up any misconception with, “I confess, I’m just a boy.” Then, building to the climax, Mike confidently states “I’ll see you tomorrow, at the show” as the band pours on the energy. “My Mom Still Cleans My Room” lays down a rhythm NOFX would’ve been pleased to write (actually, I think they did), and Mike begins a rhyming list of how life isn’t always what it seems. “Do Your Feet Hurt” pumps out the upbeat punk and tells the story of meeting that heaven-sent sweetheart: “Can I see you after you get out of school? I won’t even mind if you treat me cruel. Take a ride on my Vespa, I’ll take you home. I’ll climb up to your window and read you a poem.” The half-time, ’50s-ish beat winds down the song as Mike works up the courage to ask her to the next show. And we’re left wondering, did she go? Did he win her heart? Alas, we may never know.

“Sometimes You Have To Ask Yourself” is kinda confusing. Something about manifesting individuality and not pawning the status quo problems off on the other guy. Whatever, it’s got a good beat. The next few songs, excluding the surprisingly swingy “Chick Magnet,” continue in the same vein – peppy punk about girls, loneliness and frustration (lack of girls), friends/mistakes/forgiveness (involving girls), losing/finding your way (with a girl by your side). You get the gist.