NOFX

Item: 45 or 46 Songs That Weren't Good Enough to Go on Our Other Records
Author: Gunner

45 or 46 Songs That Weren't Good Enough to Go on Our Other Records

(2002)

Reviewed by Gunner

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Label Fat Wreck ChordsDecapolisMay 2002

punk skate punk

NOFX has been at the melodic punk rock thing since 1983, and they can (and should) be given some of the credit for creating the genre as it is today. Half serious, half funny, usually snotty, always punk.

With something like 10 LP's and 15 EP's under their belt, they've definitely got the street cred to do pretty much whatever they want. They have proved this by releasing 7" records with as many as 14 songs, an 18-minute EP that contained one very long song, and recently a split with Rancid where they covered each other's songs. Now they come along with not one, but two CDs that contain much of the material that didn't make it onto one of their full length records.

NOFX was the second punk band I ever got into, and I have been a fan for years. But a couple years ago the songs that were popping up on Fat and Epitaph compilations started to really grab my attention. Complicated and interesting songwriting with very unique melodies and harmonies, and extremely well-phrased lyrics. I highly anticipated their new album when I heard these songs, but it let me down a little as there was too much of the silly stuff I don't really enjoy as much.

Then they released this new CD, and here are ALL the songs I loved from those compilations, the ones that blew me away, as well as some new stuff, songs from 7" records, a bunch of covers: All of Me by Louis Armstrong, Forming by The Germs, Electricity by Devo, Last Caress by The Misfits, Lazy by Bracket, and Vincent by Don McLean. The last one is actually a different version than the one previously released, with extra background harmonies.

This also has almost everything from the Surfer and F*** the Kids 7"s (they've left a song off each "just to piss you off"). On top of all this, the booklet is a huge full color insert including lyrics to ALL the songs (including the covers) and a story behind each song, how and why it was written, where it was used, and so forth. Very cool read for all us NOFX fans.

Some of their best work ever is represented here, as well as some of their silliest, and even some stuff that just plain sucks. But that's part of the beauty of NOFX, they can do that, and still be loved by millions. I definitely still love them and I'm glad I got a hold of this record. If you like NOFX, you will too. If not, buy Punk In Drublic and The Decline first.