Let's face it, compilations are often times a hit or miss. It's a common plague for a listener to be duped into buying one because of its exceedingly low price. Oftentimes, they get what they paid for since they're usually treated to one or two substantial tracks while the rest is subpar and mediocre at best. 52 Lessons on Life, released on Reinforcement Records, is an obvious exception. One may look at a double disc like this and instantly assume that it's overloaded with filler and pomp. Not so.
Ultimate Fakebook's "We'll Go Dancing" swings along like a modern day Buddy Holly while conjuring images of indie rock kids swaggering along the dancefloor with their girls in tow. "True Love Waits" by Fairmont opens with radio static and a rich guitar tone before Neil Sabatino's nasally, yet gripping vocals drops in. The song is an instant winner and refuses to let go with its catchy awkwardness. "Drag" by The Adventures of Jet opens with vintage synths that bring to mind Weezer while wrapping themselves around mid tempo rock and roll that could just as easily be in the soundtrack of a movie than on the lips of ten thousand concert goers in an arena.
Downway's "Designed For The Weak" turns in a tried and true pop punk sound that could easily be played alongside tracks by Taking Back Sunday and others on modern rock radio. "Shortfall In My Hand" by The Highschool Dropouts is fast paced and tough as always. The style is reminiscent of the split that they released with The Reaction a while back and stays easily infectious through repeated listens.
The second disc is equally as explosive as the first with tracks such as "Potty Mouth" from The Huntingtons (off of their recent split with Italy's The Retarded) and "Living In Norway" by Reinforcement's own The John Stamos Project. The Reunion Show turns in a great retro synth tune with "On A Scale From One To Awesome (You're Pretty Great)" and shows that perhaps Victory Records might have some hope after all. Youth Gone Mad's "Horror Hospital" features the late Dee Dee Ramone on vocals and opens with odd synths reminiscent of The Refused before kicking into old school buzz and lo-fi drumming. Some would say that this track alone would make the comp worth buying. "The Bay Bridge Club" by The Groovie Ghoulies finds them mining the territory that they always have with their form of fun and danceable pop punk.
Samian's "Sunshine" throws a little bit of a twist into the mix with a folk rock feel that brings Bob Dylan more to mind than it does the various flavors of punk displayed on the rest of the comp. Near Miss's "October 10th" displays the indie rock prowess that many bands seem to enjoy these days with their brand of singalong choruses and catchy guitars. "On The Way Home" by Count The Stars closes the record with lilting "whoa oh" choruses and more resemblance to Weezer than many of their contemporaries could ever hope or wish to achieve. All in all, an excellent comp, and unlike other ones, this one's actually worth your time.
B+
