*Please note that Brooks Wackerman played drums on this album, and not Josh.
As I said in the review for "Hitler Bad, Vandals Good," this was the first Vandals album I ever owned, and it definitely changed my view of punk bands. When I thought of punk, I immediately thought of bands who looked and sounded like The Sex Pistols etc. The Vandals drew me towards punk along with bands like The Offspring, AFI and NOFX. I know many people would start a big rant about how these bands aren’t punk, but I don’t care. Onto the album review:
The album goes along the same lines as their other releases, with the best song being at the start. “Behind The Music"? tells the story of a band, and what goes on behind the scenes, hence the name. The lyrics are magnificent, and they chose the right places to put guitar parts, and when to stop playing etc. The songs ends with a rather polite
“You can kiss my ass… *kiss*"?
A personal favourite of mine would be the ending track 14, “Fourteen"?. I don’t think it would have been right to have this song at the beginning of the album. It has guest backing vocals from none other than Kyle Gass and Jack Black. The song is basically about a relationship with a fourteen-year-old girl, when of course you are way past the fourteen mark yourself.
“I want to hug and kiss you every time I see you, but I don’t want the neighbourhood to get the wrong idea. There will come a day when love like ours is not a crime"?
“And now you say that you like me but you don’t like like me, and you say that you love me, but you’re not in love with me. Maybe we should just be friends, but friends shouldn’t treat other friends like that and you’re not too friendly when you act like that"?
is how “The New You"? starts. Definitely one of the best songs on the album. When this part is sang, the music suddenly becomes quieter, and then louder and faster when it ends.
“Jackass"? begins with a slow bassline, and no guitar, until the verse, where the distortion kicks in. Co-written by The Offspring frontman, and Nitro Records owner Dexter Holland, you can clearly he wrote some parts. In particular when Dave sings
“…is more than I can take"?. This part is also found in The Offspring’s “Gotta Get Away"?. No doubt, this song makes the album shine.
Most of the songs go along the same sort of structure. Funny lyrics, distortion, quick solos, small bass fill-ins and vigorous drumming. I wouldn’t say there are bad things about the album. Certainly no bad songs. If anything, it would be the similarity of Vandals songs. It’s the catchy, humorous lyrics that tell them apart basically. Still, The Vandals are one of the funniest, and most entertaining bands out there, in my opinion of course.
Recommended Songs:
Behind The Music
Jackas
s
Fourteen
Sorry, Mom And Dad
The New You
My second favourite Vandals album. Still an all-time favourite of mine without a shadow of doubt. I’d say fans of the genre would love it, but others may not. I give it
3/5.
Dave Quackenbush – Vocals
Warren Fitzgerald – Guitars, Backing Vocals
Joe Escalante – Bass, Backing Vocals
Josh Freese* - Drums, Backing Vocals
[url]www.vandals.com[/url]
[url]www.nitrorecords.com[/url]
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