A new feature? A new feature?! A FRIGGIN NEW FEATURE?!!?
Yes.
The Indie Blender is starting a new feature. Normally, we tend to focus on upcoming or new-ish releases from your favourite and our favourite independent artists. However, let us not forget about the gems of yesterday the way you forgot your mom’s birthday (sorry mom) . So now we introduce Records Revisited, where we revisit records…..Gawd that’s clever..
Let’s kick it off with a personal favourite that turned 10 years old last month, and unlike your 10 year old step brother that keeps saving his file over yours on the PS3, this record’s still fun to hang out with.
Descendents – Cool To Be You
Fat Wreck Chords – 2004
1.Talking
2. Nothing With You
3. She Don’t Care
4. Merican
5. Dog and Pony Show
6. Blast Off
7. Dreams
8. Cool To Be You (Editor note: must listen)
9. Maddie
10. Mass Nerder
11. One More Day
12. Tack
13. Anchor Grill
14. Dry Spell
The latest release from the legendary punk band that defines the term “pop-hardcore”. There’s something to be said about a band that can get together 24 years after they started, and instead of changing their sound (like many punk bands we will not name, cough cough Blink 182) they built on it and improved it. Listen to it here:
14 solid punk tracks all wrapped up in about a half an hour, they don’t want to take up too much of your time. This album personally blew me away, a long time Descendents fan, it was the sound I was longing for. Fast paced, aggressive, melodic, honest lyrics, dealing with real life shit we all can relate to. The production done by their own drummer Bill Stevenson, is crystal clear, almost perfect. Milo’s wailing screaming, Stephen’s shredding guitar, and Karl’s unorthodox bass playing all come together, but without overpowering and comprising each other
If you dig Cool To Be You, which you should, it would be worth your while to check out Live Plus One
I could go on and on about this album, but we both know you’re lazy and probably have ADD or something so you’re not going to read this whole review. BEFORE YOU GO, there is one thing I want to mention: the lyrics. Descendents lyrics have always captivated me, they are brutally honest and so easy to relate to. Take a listen to the title track Cool To Be You, written by their bassist Karl.
Karl shares his insights about growing up as an outsider, talking about the “popular kids” and how he doesn’t understand what it is like to belong. Even going as far as to talk about his family problems. Real, honest, real honest, ya dig?
Appreciate this album, it’s worth your time to listen. If you don’t know who the Descendents are, you’ve probably seen hot topic kids walking around with their logo on stuff so now would be the time for you to get in the know. Then we can laugh at the hot topic kids together 🙂
The Indie Blender 