Despite the label hype the Descendents didn’t “invent” pop-punk. Although, the Descendents are/were one of the most influential pop-punk bands (or punk bands who worked in the pop formuia like the Buzzcocks, the Ramones, et. al.)
This takes a few spins to really like or at least if you’ve been tainted by the legions of ultra-shitty pop-punk bands. It’s good to see Milo & co. tackling so many mature subjects. Then again they (usually) approached the “girl songs” with intelligence. Overall, a lot catchy, good songs in short time.
(((1))) Catchy & poppy. Deals with the lack of communication amongst couples that have been together a long time.
(((2))) Uptempo number about to do nothin’ & getting away from it all in the midst of home & your “numbero uno”.
((3)) Typical Descendents style in some places in other places it’s just writing pop punk for the sake of pop punk. Weak choruses & such.
((((4)))) Bad Religion WISHES they could write songs like this. (And strangely enough it sounds a fuck of a lot like B.R.). Killer song, killer lyrics about the twisted duality of this abstract thing called “America”.
(((5))) Mid-tempo, catchy about the dreadfulness & isolation of the club scene.
((((6)))) After the first few lines I kind of figured that this was about farts.
This is actually one of the best tunes on the album straight up Ramone-ish riffing and Hi-larious lyrics! This is even better than “Lomitas”. Still safe for the FCC (let’s hope, anyway!)
(((7))) Straight-ahead melodic rocker at mid-tempo.
((((8)))) Typical Descendents style with a bit of that Bad Religion style as well. Catchy & straight-ahead.
(((9))) Lots of super-melodic vocal harmonies. Deals with his daughter and how he’s trying to keep her & be a real dad while everyone else doesn’t understand him.
((((10)))) Bordering on hardcore in terms of sound and all about nerd pride in terms of theme. Plus, there’s a funny nerd-ian take on The Germs “We Must Bleed” Into “We Must Read” and instead of Darby’s “somebody gimme a beeeer!” it’s “somebody get me a book!” Killer!
(FCC 1:30 “fucking”).
((11)) Some tune about his failed relations with his dad. Super melodic kind of “Beach Boys goes So. Cal punk” style.
(((12))) Sounds like this could’ve been on “Don’t Wanna Grow Up”. Straight-forward poppy punk.
((((13)))) Super poppy but damn this is really well done. Lyrics deal with a post-separation situation and the need to amend things. Cool ending where Milo orders a bunch of food and “oh, we need a new life, too!”
((14)) Catchy, straight-ahead poppy punk. Not too different that everything else.