OFF - OFF! (Vice, 2012)

OFF

OFF!

Vice

2012

Rating: 8 opulent canines out of 10

A quick refresher for those not familiar with OFF - Keith Morris from Black Flag & the Circle Jerks; Mario Rubalcaba from basically every San Diego band of the last 20 years including Hot Snakes, Rocket from the Crypt, and a bunch more; and a couple of other dudes from Redd Cross and Burning Brides that are cool but considerably less exciting than the first two dudes (sorry, it's true).  They decided to get together and play some classic late seventies style hardcore punk...not too different from the Circle Jerks (but less silly) or Black Flag really, but modern and better recorded.  With 16 songs on an album that isn't even 16 minutes long, they're definitely taking after the Jerks song writing approach.  As someone who grew up on this music, it's impossible for me to even think of giving this a bad review...it's just too damn fun and enjoyable, a quarter hour of pummeling punk glory that will transform you back to your teenage years even if your body doesn't agree. 

Black Lips - Arabia Mountain (Vice, 2011)

Black Lips
Arabia Mountain
Vice
2011

Rating: 5 pissing contests out of 10

To be perfectly honest, I've never been a huge fan of the Black Lips, and I think it's best to be up front about that right away. My mind is probably made up on this band, but they always seem like a band I SHOULD like, so I keep trying to get into them. And it never sticks. But if there was an album to turn someone around on the band it would probably be the Mark Ronson produced "Arabia Mountain" - it sounds so clean and shiny and new compared to most of their material, they could definitely win over some new fans. I'd guess they are pissing off some of their old fans too, producing this polished album of only slightly interesting garage retreads that sound like they could be B-sides to the Nuggets compilation. But clean or dirty, their music just doesn't hold my attention...their live show didn't either (though one of my very favorite bands Gentleman Jess & His Men opened, so it was worth going). Guess every band ain't for every person, no matter how many times they listen.