Murder City Devils - Empty Bottles, Broken Hearts

Label: Sub Pop
Genre: Punk Rock
Year: 1998
Recommended by: Paul Conant

This is punk rock. This is Punk rock from the Pacific Northwest. This is Punk Rock that is in a Post-Nirvana world.

It is very good and after listening I was surprised that the record was released so late. It is a bit behind it's calling of a punk rock heyday and would have been more popular if they were just ten years earlier. However, I'm sure big fans of the band would rather they stayed as niche as possible. "Dancin' Shoes" is a great song.

Against Me - Is Reinventing Axl Rose

Label: No Idea Records
Year: 2002
Genre: Punk Rock, Folk Punk
Recommending Person: Joe Szprygada

I didn't listen to Against Me! until 2007 when New Wave came out and Thrash Unreal was conquering Q101. Whenever a band makes me sing the entire song on the radio I always go back and check their previous releases. At that time I went back and enjoyed individual tracks "Pints of Guinness Make You Strong" and "Those Anarcho Punks are Mysterious...".

This album doesn't hit me the same way that New Wave did, but you can clearly see the roots of what I loved about them later in their career. I think this album shows way back in 2002 that Laura Jane Grace, the transgender lead singer, is an incredible ballad writer. My favorite track on the album is "Baby, I'm an Anarchist!" where the softer side of Grace comes through while still staying true to his over the top, to the point of satire, commitment to anarchy.

Much like the Smoking Popes from January, this would have heavily been in my high school rotation and many songs would make my mixes. I mean you can't go against lyrics like this:

“And just like James, I’ll be drinking Irish tonight
and the memory of his last work week will be gone forever
Evelyn I’m not coming home tonight!”

— Pints of Guinness Make You Strong

Joe Szprygada had a lovely recommendation and I thought it would be prudent to put why he loves this album.

“Well the first reason is because you already had The 59 Sound on the calendar, but this one’s been a continuing part of my life for even longer, so let’s go with it. The album itself is over pretty quick, about a half hour total, but there is so much energy packed in there. There are plenty of albums that I’ll sing along every word to, but this one demands that you shout every word and leaves my jaw sore after every listen, without fail. I’m going to try to not chalk up so much nostalgia, but it is absolutely a high school album. While both the band and myself (now in my mid-20s) are likely over having any passionate feelings about anarchy, it still only takes until about halfway through the third track to make me wonder if maybe I should start a band. The title track similarly brings up thoughts of being at a show with your peer music lovers, which is an inseparable part of music, for me. This album finds a way to pack in the energy and lyrics to put you into a showgoing mindset like few others I have heard. If that’s not your thing, at the very least it is some real catchy shout-along folk punk. If you’re looking for some adrenaline on a ~30 minute solo commute, I can think of nothing better.”

— Joe Szprygada

Rocket From the Crypt - Scream, Dracula, Scream

Label: Interscope
Year: 1995
Genre: Punk Rock
Recommmending Person: Paul Conant

This is a band I have not heard of previously, so I was excited. The general vibe is something I am generally very into. There is a performance aspect of becoming an entirely different character that I enjoy. It's really much more enjoyable than a performer just trying to sell themselves as slightly different than what they are in real life. 

Rocket From the Crypt experienced much larger popularity in the UK than the US, which has a weird history which one day I want to be fully explored by someone talented (aka Not me), and they do a good job of melding Rock genre's into their Punk Rock aesthetic. I particular enjoy a Bruce Spingsteenian offering in in the song "Used". It maybe the orchestral backing or the harmony driven chorus, but I could easily see it covered by "The Boss" in a 25 minute long live version.

The Smoking Popes - Get Fired

Label: Johann's Face
Year: 1993
Genre: Punk Rock
Recommending Person: Alura Henry and Abe Martinez

I have long heard of Smoking Popes, but this is my first true Popes experience. My cousins had long told me of their general greatness, yet I refrained from dipping my toe into the water of the Chicago Punk Rock superstars. Get Fired is amazing. It may be the favorite album I have listened to so far this year. It still may only be a result of listening to it fresh without any nostalgia and the record refusing to allow me zone out at any single point. 

It also sent me further into their catalog where I listened to them cover "I Dreamed a Dream" from Les Misérables. Which while it shouldn't be the number one listened song on Google Play by the Smoking Popes was still very enjoyable. 

The Gaslight Anthem - The '59 Sound

Label: SideOneDummy
Year: 2008
Genre: Indie Folk, Punk Rock, Indie Rock, Heartland Rock
Recommending Person: Chris Neseman

Let's just sit and examine how many genre's Wikipedia claims this album to be in. Couldn't we just stop at Rock and Roll? That's pretty much all that this album is, and that is not demeaning in anyway. I've had a good run of albums starting with Danger Mouse, to Parliament, and now The Gaslight Anthem. The '59 Sound reminded me of Social Distortion with a more conventional singer. I love Social Distortion, so I loved this album. Gaslight Anthem was always that band that people said they liked and I just agreed without having listened to any of their music. I'm glad I finally did, it was enjoyable all the way through.