I can still remember when I received my first punk-o-rama compilation. Not only was it extremely cheap, but it helped forge a friendship with punk rock that I would hold on to even to this day. Bands like Rancid, The Descendents, The Bouncing Souls, NOFX, Bad Religion, and Pulley were introduced to me, which in turn opened my eyes to a whole new world of music.
Fast forward several years later and punk-o-rama is still one of the longest running compilations in the music industry. Over the past nine years Epitaph has put out a compilation annually featuring their latest signings, along with some unreleased songs from veterans of the label.
In volume nine we see less and less of what made the earlier compilations what they were. Don't worry I am not arguing punk rock politics, but gone are The Descendents and NOFX, and welcome the likes of hip-hop acts like Atmosphere and the sounds of so called "emocore" like From First To Last and Matchbook Romance. Long time veterans like Rancid who offer "Tropical London" from Indestructible and The Bouncing Souls' "Sing Along Forever" are reminders as to why I love music. Other heavyweights like Bad Religion and Pennywise tend to sound aged, when up against the timeless sounds of the Refused's "Liberation Frequency" from The Shape of Punk To Come. Tiger Army's "Temptation" from The Early Years EP shows why they are the best psychobilly band on the planet, while Nekromantix sounds almost comical with "Struck By A Wrecking Ball." Pulley and 1208 take care of the pop-punk department, while The Division of Laura Lee offers their brand of garage rock with "Dirty Love." There also is an unreleased track from Hot Water Music "Seein' Diamonds", and a live track from Death By Stereo.
There are twenty-four songs and over an hour's worth of music, to give you a gauge of what Epitaph has to offer, and a glimpse into its future. It also comes with a DVD with videos from The Bouncing Souls, The Horrorpops, Pulley, Converge and more.
At times the future looks bright with The Weakerthans and Tiger Army. Other times on the album, like The Matches or Eyedea and Abilities has you longing for punk-o-ramas of the past.
If you are looking for an introduction into what Epitaph has to offer, then this gives you a glimpse of some of its roster. Some of the strongest tracks on this compilation are from long time veterans. The newer artists simply do not stack up against them.
2.5/4
