This a collection of rarities, B-sides and a couple of acoustic versions of old favourites from MXPX which they have recorded across the course of their six album career. Making six albums and still going strong is no small feat, so they must have must have been doing something right. Technically MXPX are a great band, tight, well produced, slick and catchy, but their chosen field of punk pop is so often a tricky one. Bands in this genre often end up sounding corny, cheesy or like they’re just trying to sell music-Think Good Charlotte, Simple Plan etc- but there are others in this field like Blink 182, (‘Dude Ranch’, ‘Enema of the State’), Fenix TX and New Found Glory who in particular do this genre real justice. They manage to have fantastic songs which at the same time have all the right traits of poppier music, while the way they perform them and the honesty felt in the songs makes for really good punk rock music and are completely credible. MXPX straddle that line, straying in both directions. While ‘You Walk I Run’ sound like Simple Plan or Busted, ‘Everylight’ brings the band right back into the ‘good side’. ‘Don’t Forget Me’ is a sweet song, but does border a little close to being too sweet. This is definitely an album and band that has to be listened to in the right frames of mind, and truth be told these songs do really grow on you with each listen. Songs like ‘Breathe Deep’ and ‘Make up Your Mind’ are instantly likeable and sound perfect if your in the mood for the likes of the Ataris or Millencolin, with Singer Mike Herrera’s vocals sounding quite similar to that of Nikola Sarcevic, the vocalist with Swedish pop-punks Millencolin. This really is a mix of songs that seem to be either too close to that cheesy punk sound, or right in their with the best of them. There is very little in between, which ultimately make sense when you think that these are some of the songs they left off the albums. It is quite hard to judge MXPX, completed by guitarist Tom Wisniewski and drummer Yuri Ruley, by this album alone, but, however, if this is them at both their best and worst then they have well and truly earned their career so far. No band can get it right 100% of the time and at the end of the day it is all down to personal preference. Yes, there are some not so great songs on here on first listen, but when you check them again I would wager a large amount of money that you’d get hooked on enough of the songs to swiftly change your mind.
Track Listing:-
1 You Walk, I Run2 Every Light
3 1 And 3
4 Don't Forget Me (When You're Gone)
5 Breathe Deep
6 Make Up Your Mind
7 Running out of Time
8 Slow Ride
9 Where Did You Go?
10 Sweet Sweet Thing (Acoustic)
11 Last Train (Acoustic)
12 You Walk, I Run (Acoustic)
reviews |
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Panic (2005) |
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| Distinct return-to-form on ninth album from American Christian punk MxPx, which recreates some of the magic last seen on their 1996 classic 'Life in General' |
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