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Continuing their legacy of ultra-intelligent
punk stylings, the bay-area 5 piece "Bad Religion"
are back with their latest effort, "No Substance,"
to follow the recent success of "Stranger Than Fiction,"
which boasted the revision of "20th Century Digital Boy."
"No Substance" offers exactly what every "Bad
Religion" fan expects and almost demands: Intellectual and
overtly political lyrics, melodic yet heavy handed guitar driven
riffs, and a bucket full of harmonies. In short, typical "Bad
Religion."
From the get go, "Bad Religion"
hits hard with "Hear It." Short and to the point, vocalist
Greg Graffin strikes from his soap box hard and fast (just 1:49
on this track) regaling about the dronings of authority always
telling us the way things should run. "Priests and politicians
pretend that they're your friend, And police speak to you like
you're children again. Blanket statements cover you like a rug,
And they tell me maybe I'm acting a little too smug, But I don't
want to hear it any more."
"Shades Of Truth," though a bit
more on the slow side, is easily the best song on the record,
and no doubt will be the single. Following the simple formula
of the one two punch rhythm, harmony ridden chorus and guitar
wailing bridges that has become the trade mark "Bad Religion"
sound, "Shades Of Truth" has an instant sing-a-bility
quality. "The Biggest Killer in American History" comes
as a surprise at first, starting with Graffin singing "ka-ka-
ka-killa" in almost 80's hair rock fashion, but quickly
changes into a fast paced true to form punk song. Placing the
sound way back to the "Recipe For Hate" days. (Phew
I thought they were going soft for a second)
Though few songs on the record stand out,
every one is a strong stand alone tune. The title track is perhaps
the weakest of the sixteen on "No Substance," but than
again I'd rather it be that way. I've always found it kinda boring
when a title track is the big "kicker song" on a record.
Track nine, "The State Of The End Of The Millennium"
represents the most unique cut offered on this record, finding
Graffin laying down spoken word over almost metal type music.
All in all, "No Substance" is
a solid effort worthy of The "Bad Religion" name. Newer
listeners may find this one a bit harder to be won over with
than say . . . "Recipe For Hate" was. But then again
"Recipe" was, and currently is, the band's best record,
and arguably one of the best punk records of all time. So a comparison
is hardly fair.
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