Darren McLeod
04/27/06, 07:25 PM
NOFX – Wolves In Wolves’ Clothing
Release Date: April 18th, 2006.
Record Label: Fat Wreck Chords.
Reviewing a NOFX album is a lot like reviewing a plate of spaghetti: sure, it can be a great plate of spaghetti, or perhaps even a mediocre plate, but it never strays too far from what you’re expecting.
Wolves in Wolves’ Clothing, like its predecessor The War On Errorism, is a politically-fuelled album, this time spending less time attacking the Bush administration and more on the rest of (what are in the band’s opinion) the problems of America, notably overzealous religious folk. Even with a heavy-handed approach to such serious subject matter, the band retains its trademark brand of humor; the great “Leaving Jesusland” features witty lines such as “the fear stricken, born again Christian, they got a vision of a homogenized state. Textbook decline, Intelligent Design, they got Bill Nye on the list to execrate.” Of course, that’s not to say that the whole album is constantly bashing religion with no other purpose, as it is still a NOFX album involving lots of drinking and drugs (see the first single, “Seeing Double at the Triple Rock”), immaturity (the vulgar “Instant Crassic”), and the simply bizarre (“Cantado en Espanol”).
The disc, like all NOFX albums, has its moments of greatness, especially “The Man I Killed,” one of the best songs the band has written in recent memory. It mixes acoustic guitar parts with electric, and it never resorts to repetition of a chorus; it’s just a minute and eighteen seconds of great music. If you were a member of the NOFX 7” Of The Month Club, you would have already heard a version of it, which brings up another problem – there are a few songs that you’ve probably already heard. 6 songs appeared on the aforementioned 7” Of The Month Club, while 3 of the songs were on the recent EP Never Trust A Hippy (http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=120319). Of course, not everyone listens to these 7 inches or EPs, but for those who do, it’s a bit disappointing.
Other standout tracks include the opening and closing versions of “60%,” the opener giving a mission statement for the album, the closer giving one for the band. The second-last track, “Doornails,” is also a highlight – a neat acoustic number which has Fat Mike dedicating various things to various people, most of them fallen musicians, although he also dedicates a bowl to his mom “for drinking more than [he] did.”
Ultimately, the album’s 18 songs are a bit too much for the band to handle. The disc could’ve done without a few of the filler tracks that listeners will most likely skip over, such as “Benny Got Blowed Up,” “Getting High On The Down Low,” and “Instant Crassic.” Luckily, because of the amount of songs on the album, there are enough good tracks to make up for the missteps, but it’s a shame these weak tracks weren’t removed.
This is not an album that is going to change anyone’s opinion about NOFX, those who didn’t enjoy the band before won’t be won over with this album. However, for old fans of the band, it is a solid entry into the band’s large catalogue that will fit perfectly alongside of the rest of their NOFX library.
Release Date: April 18th, 2006.
Record Label: Fat Wreck Chords.
Reviewing a NOFX album is a lot like reviewing a plate of spaghetti: sure, it can be a great plate of spaghetti, or perhaps even a mediocre plate, but it never strays too far from what you’re expecting.
Wolves in Wolves’ Clothing, like its predecessor The War On Errorism, is a politically-fuelled album, this time spending less time attacking the Bush administration and more on the rest of (what are in the band’s opinion) the problems of America, notably overzealous religious folk. Even with a heavy-handed approach to such serious subject matter, the band retains its trademark brand of humor; the great “Leaving Jesusland” features witty lines such as “the fear stricken, born again Christian, they got a vision of a homogenized state. Textbook decline, Intelligent Design, they got Bill Nye on the list to execrate.” Of course, that’s not to say that the whole album is constantly bashing religion with no other purpose, as it is still a NOFX album involving lots of drinking and drugs (see the first single, “Seeing Double at the Triple Rock”), immaturity (the vulgar “Instant Crassic”), and the simply bizarre (“Cantado en Espanol”).
The disc, like all NOFX albums, has its moments of greatness, especially “The Man I Killed,” one of the best songs the band has written in recent memory. It mixes acoustic guitar parts with electric, and it never resorts to repetition of a chorus; it’s just a minute and eighteen seconds of great music. If you were a member of the NOFX 7” Of The Month Club, you would have already heard a version of it, which brings up another problem – there are a few songs that you’ve probably already heard. 6 songs appeared on the aforementioned 7” Of The Month Club, while 3 of the songs were on the recent EP Never Trust A Hippy (http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=120319). Of course, not everyone listens to these 7 inches or EPs, but for those who do, it’s a bit disappointing.
Other standout tracks include the opening and closing versions of “60%,” the opener giving a mission statement for the album, the closer giving one for the band. The second-last track, “Doornails,” is also a highlight – a neat acoustic number which has Fat Mike dedicating various things to various people, most of them fallen musicians, although he also dedicates a bowl to his mom “for drinking more than [he] did.”
Ultimately, the album’s 18 songs are a bit too much for the band to handle. The disc could’ve done without a few of the filler tracks that listeners will most likely skip over, such as “Benny Got Blowed Up,” “Getting High On The Down Low,” and “Instant Crassic.” Luckily, because of the amount of songs on the album, there are enough good tracks to make up for the missteps, but it’s a shame these weak tracks weren’t removed.
This is not an album that is going to change anyone’s opinion about NOFX, those who didn’t enjoy the band before won’t be won over with this album. However, for old fans of the band, it is a solid entry into the band’s large catalogue that will fit perfectly alongside of the rest of their NOFX library.