Before You Were Punk

by

Various Artists

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If you remember the eighties, which you should, you will enjoy this album. As a punk fan and a 80's retro freak I was delighted by the songs and the way they were redone for this cd. The songs are all old standby favorites and the bands who cover them are some of the brightest stars in modern punk pop. If you are a fan of bands such as MXPX then this album will fit into your collection well. If you are more of a Minor Threat listener you will be better off skipping this one. Grab this one and think of the years gone by when a mullet was still cool. If you feel real retro grap a copy on tape...how old will that make you feel?!

It was such a great idea. Take songs by New Wave's keyboard pounders and put them in the hands of high-profile punk bands to see what new shapes they take. Great idea, sad execution.

What makes a good cover tune is some degree of respect for the original, the desire to take something you have some affection for and make it your own. Most of these tracks sound like the bands want to beat the songs until they stop twitching.

There are maybe three good tracks on this CD; Pretty in Pink, Peace, Love, and Understanding, and the stellar Walking in L.A.(which makes a song I've never been able to stand into a great tune). The remainder fall into three categories: 1. Sounds just like the original, 2. Sounds like the original sped up and played while drunk, 3. Sounds nothing like the original, but horrid. Particularly painful are Good Riddance ridding "I Melt With You" of all of its hummable charm, and the usually better Blink182's ritualistic slaughter of "Dancing With Myself."

I'm at a loss to explain the good reviews this album has. Maybe if you like your punk dirty, raw, and screaming, this fits the bill. But if, like me, you prefer more talent and vocal skill thrown in the mix, you're better off skipping this one and picking up Me First and the Gimme Gimmes, or even the far better sequel to this disc.