Among 13 generic Cali-punk tracks you’ll find four to show the band’s “roots” go deeper than lifting Gregg Graffin solos and paraphrasing Social D lyrics.
Last time our heroes were beset by bland “rock” on one hand, and bland “pop” on the other, but this time the real phantom menace is a combination of the two.
Exene’s latest project, the Original Sinners, are like “X for beginners.” The band is tighter than X was, and certainly has more musical tricks up its sleeve.
These four have done time in Down By Law, DYS, Fugazi, Minor Threat, Bad Religion, All, The Meatmen, and Junkyard. A lot to live up to, and a lot to live down.
The eight new songs runing down the usual litany of complaints: The military is too violent, the government is too repressive, some people are too homophobic.
Common Rider can be forgiven if only because they’ve managed to pull off a ska-punk record that doesn’t rely on cheesy horns and guitar distortion pedals.
If you want to be the new Lookout! (now that Lookout! wants to be the new Sub Pop, and who knows what Sub Pop is up to these days), take it all the way.