With the 2014 Punk Rock Bowling Festival upon us, I figured I would bring you my favorite albums from the artists featured this year. There are a lot of great bands playing the festival that did not make my list, and as always, this is just my humble opinion. Check it out and let me know what your favorite records are from the PRB 2014 lineup in the comments.
Cro-Mags Age of Quarrel – A bonafide New York Hardcore classic. One of the hardest albums of all time from street-wise dudes that lived what they wrote about. All these years later and world peace still can’t be done.
Descendents Milo Goes To College – Milo and company have a ton of great songs, but this debut LP is their most consistent from top to bottom. I also love the raw production compared to their later albums. Youthful angst at it’s finest.
Face To Face Don’t Turn Away – Say what you will about this band after they pulled a fast one on Doc Strange; it is impossible to deny how catchy this record is. These songs always take me back to a certain time and place. So many days spent skateboarding and watching shows at The Huntridge.
Judge Bringin’ It Down – One of the first metal influenced HC albums, and one of the heaviest records of all time. Judge managed to transcend the trappings of the youth crew with Mike’s heartfelt and introspective lyrics. Can you remember the last time you cried?
Naked Raygun Understand? – I’m sure many would argue that the early Raygun albums are more classic, but Understand? was my introduction to the band and remains a personal favorite. This is what punk rock should sound like as it begins to grow up. Do you understand?
Night Birds Born To Die In Suburbia – One of the best new bands of the last few years. These modern morons play SoCal inspired surf punk a la The Adolescents, Agent Orange, and the Dead Kennedys by way of the east coast. Who knew there were waves in New Jersey?
NOFX Ribbed – My interest in NOFX waned rather quickly after this album. I did like The Longest Line EP, but the similar sarcasm and sound of each consecutive record started to get stale. That said, the music on Ribbed is sharp and the jokes are still somewhat entertaining.
OFF! Wasted Years – Keith Morris and his new band really nailed it on this one. I’ve enjoyed every OFF! release up to this point, but this new album rips harder than the rest. So much more vital than any Black Flag reunion.
Poison Idea Feel The Darkness – I really don’t think there is a bad Poison Idea record, but this is the band at their pinnacle. The music and message is so precise and powerful here. If the opening cut “Plastic Bomb” doesn’t make you jump out of your seat then you must not have a pulse.
SNFU …And No One Else Wanted To Play – The debut album from one of Canada’s very best bands. There are so many great songs on this record, one of them being “She’s Not on the Menu”, a song that helped to break gender barriers in the punk scene way back in 1985. They also broke the mold with Chi-Pig.
Honorable mentions: Against Me! Reinventing Axl Rose, ALL Allroy Sez, & Good Riddance For God and Country.
Punk Rock Bowling takes place this weekend in Downtown Vegas. More details can be found here.
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