Punk rock is a term that today encompasses a larger musical genre than when it was first conceived in the 1970's. The '70's version of punk has most notably been defined by bands such as Green Day, Offspring, Rancid, Blink 182, and the likes. During the past two years it seems like more and more bands have coagulated towards the sound of Green Day, more than the other "punk" bands.
*Reader beware...personal opinions follow: I feel if a CD containing 10 or more songs, never changes tempo or drum patterns throughout its entirety, it's crap. Call me old fashioned, but good bands in my estimation change beats, tempos, and rhythm patterns from song to song and display some amount of musical creativity. Unfortunately punk today tends to be fairly uncreative and monotonous, and frankly just annoying.
Well, now that I have that off my chest, Value Pac is punk, P-U-N-K, but their new release, Jalapeno, does display some amount of creativity within the style. Last year, Value Pac debuted on Tooth and Nail Records and sold over 15,000 copies, which is exceedingly recognizable for an independent release, especially a band's debut.
This time around they're on BEC Records, a sort of spin-off of Tooth and Nail Records, and have recently been picked up for broader distribution by EMI. Value Pac isn't just another no-name band; well, they are but not for long. Their tunes can be heard filling backgrounds for MTV Sports, the Rodman World Tour, ESPN2, and are receiving a lot of college radio air. Value Pac has also brought the talent of Peter King, MTV host, and guitar player for Dakota Motor Co., to produce their latest release.
For those of you who like punk with a little edge and a little more creativity, Value Pac is worth a shot. I do, however, think they could use their talent a little more creatively, following more of the stylistic patterns of "We are the Ones," which has a sort of 311 sound to it. Their cover of the Beatles "This Boy" is also quite impressive, especially vocally, for a punk band. Value Pac is definitely a band to listen and watch for in the future.
Other coverage for this album
Puddlegum 1998Reviewed by R.J. JohnsonLets put it this way: If I was a new kid on Value Pac's block I would definitely be trying to hang out with these guys. With a style that can easily be filed as "Emo Punk" (emotional punk) Value Pac's latest album "Jalapeño" is full of flavor to tempt your taste buds and stimulate your vocal chords. From the first few licks of the opening track "Nothing" to the final beats of "Big Dream" the…7ball #14Reviewed by Dan MacIntoshWhen they first broke on the national scene last year, the music of Value Pac--with its shouted vocals, its big chunky guitar chords, and its rat-a-tat drumming--was called punk. Somehow, though, it's hard to place Value Pac--or much of today's so-called punk for that matter--within the neat confines of this definition. Christian punk seems to have come full circle with the likes of Value Pac. It…Similar sounding releases
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