Top Ten Punk Albums You Should Own
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10. GreenDay: Dookie: This was the album that inspired pop-punk groups along the lines of Blink 182, and Sum 41 (although it is arguable whether this was a good or bad thing). This album is infinitely better than the over produced but critically acclaimed American Idiot, and is a reminder of what was at the core of Greenday. Best Track: Longview, a lyrically amusing and thought provoking theme song for bored generations from today and yesterday.
9. The Offspring: Smash - The Offspring really peaked with this, and it’s difficult to look past this as one of the finest of the pop-punk genre. As they smash through tracks such as Nitro, Bad Habit and So Alone, you can feel the melody of each ‘woah’ and ‘oh’ fitting in perfectly with the up tempo rhythm. Best Track: Self Esteem – the ode to teenage self pity and consciousness.
8. Less Than Jake: Hellow Rockview - LTJ’s best album is a showstopper. Ska-punk supreme from the Gainsville Florida boys, with sing-a-long’s abound. Lyrically resonating with many, Less than Jake have always had a reasonably large fan base, and this record is the ultimate proof of their musical capabilities, and skill in finding such good tunes which (may) have the harshest ska fan with a smile on their face. Best Track: All My Best Friends Are
7. Minor Threat: Compete Discography - The definitive hardcore band with punk roots’ whole collection is on this disc, and they ram through 26 tracks at breakneck pace, musically raw and passionate, with the lyrics equally so. Best Track: In my Eyes – this shows the band’s straight edge viewpoint, (on smoking here) and even if you don’t agree with the band on this issue, it’s hard not to be taken aback by the fury and emphasis put into this track
6. NOFX: Punk in Drublic - Seventeen glorious tracks here, from the liberal standpoint on pornography that is ‘Lori Meyers’, to the acoustic, sad and mournful ‘Scavenger Type’, the fiercely political ‘Perfect Government’ via the appeal for semantic and lexical equality in ‘Don’t Call me White’, NOFX pull out all the stops. Their own wicked brand of humour is present in tracks like that, and the amusingly straight-faced ‘My Heart is Yearning’, and also snidely in ‘The Brews’, about Jewish skinheads. Best Track: Linoleum – Anthemic. (that’s right I got a floor, so what so what so what?)
5. lack Flag: Damaged - This is probably recognised as the best hardcore punk album, discontent combined with anger and sarcastic cynicism mixed with humour leads to tracks such as the vicious ‘Six Pack’, ‘TV Party’ and ‘Depression’. You get the sense here that Black Flag are on the edge, Rollins snarled vocals at the limit of aggression as the band put 200% into this record. Best Track: Rise Above – Pure and old school punk, an outrageous way to start the record, and what a way to introduce yourself.
4. Ramones: Ramones - Powerful and driven guitar is one of the main ingredients of this true punk rock album, with harmonious tunes underlying the Ramones’ abrasive exterior. This is reflected in tracks such as ‘Chain saw’, ‘53rd & 3rd’, and of course, ‘Judy is a Punk’. Best Track: Blitzkrieg Bob – "Hey ho! Let’s go!" it will not be forgotten as probably the most famous punk intro ever.
3. Rancid: ...And Out Come the Wolves - You might notice the cover of the record is a tribute to the Minor Threat case. However, this is no pale imitation, but a truly fantastic record in which Rancid blend their gritty street punk stylings with a quart of ska, the result being a glorious, hook filled, urgent and occasionally beautiful mixture. Sublime and touching songs such as ‘Old Friend’, ‘Journey to the end of the East Bay’ and ‘Ruby Soho’ embody the style of the album, and the standard rarely slips over the nineteen tracks. Also look out for a ridiculously good bass solo after literally just one minute of the album has gone by, a signature from the virtuoso Matt Freeman. Best Track: Time Bomb – two tone ska combined with punk created this masterpiece of a song, drenched with sunny hooks.
2. Operation Ivy: Energy - Short lived but maybe all the better for it, ska-core punk at its best, this was the band that inspired many, and indeed, half of the members of the band (Tim Armstrong and Matt Freeman) went on to form Rancid. Fun, fast paced, lethal tracks fly by, the aptly titled ‘Energy’ living up to its name. Indisputably great, this is brilliance. Best Track: Unity – this has been covered by a fair few bands and you can see why. Lyrically maybe the best song written by the quartet, and inspirational to the core.
2. The Clash: London Calling - Maybe it is slightly ironic that an album hailed as one of the best, if not the best, punk album ever has a huge amount of genre splicing in it, but regardless, this is great. You find more than just straight punk here, with ska, pop, rock and even jazz appearing on this album, and this eclectic mixture fits together with maximum ease. Everything on the album seems so right, and any missteps are covered up with the sheer passion of the performers. Best track: there are almost too many classics to choose from, but ‘Wrong ‘Em Boyo’ probably just scrapes it, with the piano adding to the fantastic array of sounds, and the tune so inescapable.
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