MxPx

    MxPx

    Also credited as Magnified Plaid

    Bremerton, Washington35 reviews across 13 releases

    poppop punkpunkrock
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    MxPx began in Bremerton, Washington, in 1992 as Magnified Plaid, a high-school trio that shortened its name for show posters. The early records established a compact form of melodic punk: 21 short songs on Pokinatcha, raw garage texture, fast drumming, bright guitar changes, and lyrics that moved from crushes and bad hair days to Christian belief without abandoning jokes. Teenage Politics kept the speed while adding polish, tight harmonies, and a clear interest in teenage routines rather than youth-group instruction. The band's most characteristic subject was the ordinary problem treated at full punk volume, whether a long-distance romance in Move To Bremerton or the self-mocking promise of "Chick Magnet." By Slowly Going the Way of the Buffalo, the playing and production had become heavier and more controlled, with shouted vocals and larger guitar sounds, while the hooks remained immediate.

    Andy Husted left as the band moved beyond its first lineup, and Tom Wisniewski became the guitarist heard through the major-label years. The move from Tooth & Nail to A&M in 1999 placed MxPx in a wider punk market without removing its Christian associations; The Ever Passing Moment pushed toward straight rock, bigger melodies, and occasional Elvis Costello and early-'70s influence, while The Renaissance revisited earlier speed with mixed results. A&M's collapse and the end of that contract were followed by Panic on SideOneDummy in 2005, a harder, more balanced record. The group later returned to its first label, issued music through its own Rock City Recording Company, and continued after Yuri Ruley and Wisniewski stepped away from touring around 2010-12. Both returned to full-time activity by 2015. MxPx remained active, self-releasing MxPx in 2018 and Find a Way Home in 2023.

    13 releases reviewed