reviews
FILE UNDER: Essential melodic punk
Various Artists - WrecktrospectiveAlternative Press - Scott Heisel on 1/1/10 @ 7:00 AM - altpress.com
Over the past two decades, Fat Wreck Chords has gone from being the pet project of NOFX frontman Fat Mike to one of the most influential punk labels of all-time--and correspondingly, a collection like Wrecktrospective is long overdue. Essentially a supercharged version of the label's Fat Music samplers, Wrecktrospective is a massive three-disc, 88-song collection of songs that spans the label's history and proves why it has been able to outlast countless musical trends. Disc one is a greatest hits of sorts that ranges from Propagandhi's thrash-fueled "Back To The Motor League" to Against Me!'s crowd favorite "T.S.R." and also features bands from the label's classic back catalog such as Tilt's melodic-punk anthem "War Room" and Avail's Southern-fried sing-along "Black And Red." Disc two is packed with unreleased and rare tracks that range from NOFX to Nerf Herder, with highlights being Good Riddance's rebellious rager "America Flies First Class" and Lagwagon's jaw-droppingly technical "Bury The Hatchet," from their 1992 debut Duh. Finally, disc three contains the limited edition Fat Club 7-inch series in its entirety and includes multiple tracks from the Lawrence Arms, Strike Anywhere, MxPx and more. There's not nearly enough room here for us to list all of the gems on Wrecktrospective, however this sampler is a remarkably effective and economical overview of the label that proves that, contrary to popular belief, the Fat Wreck Chords legacy isn't limited to shirtless dudes in board shorts playing power chords (although there's plenty of that, too). (FAT WRECK CHORDS) Jonah Bayer
GO DOWNLOAD: Swingin' Utters' "Windspitting Punk" (Disc One)
GO DOWNLOAD: NOFX's "It's My Job To Keep Punk Rock Elite" (Disc Two)
GO DOWNLOAD: The Lawrence Arms' "Porno And Snuff Films" (Disc Three)
Official Website: http://www.fatwreck.com
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