NOFX
The Decline

By Rob Selina
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  NOFX are pretty much the front guys for the entire punk scene, and they handle the job very well. They manage to be pop-punk enough to have mass appeal and at the same time have a hardcore streak and underground ideals that a real punk can respect.

The Decline is their new EP on their own label Fat Wreck Chords. I use the term EP loosely considering that there’s only one song on the album, but it’s 18 minutes and 21 seconds long though. Now if you break that down in to standard 2 minute punk songs, nine tracks sure isn’t bad for a mere $8. The album cover tries to stop you from getting ripped off from your local store with its warning, “Pay No More Than $11.00.” I have a better suggestion though. Fat Wreck Chords (Really cool company if you ask me) only charges $8 for the CD or $6 for the LP if you buy it off their website! Don’t worry about the extra charges.  There aren’t any since FAT doesn’t add on figures for “shipping and handling” despite the fact that they ship the goodies to you via priority mail so you get the stuff fast, and the icing on the cake is that unless you’re in California, there’s no sales tax either! That’s a steal no mater how you look at it.

Getting back to the music, the song rocks. It’s upbeat, it changes rhythm and mood and can still keep me on my toes even though I’ve had it for a couple of months now.  It’s the punk rock equivalent of the Beatles song  “A Day In the Life.” The song could have easily been chopped up and made in to four or five kick ass tracks but it’s even better as what I bet is the longest punk song ever. Even the lyrics are pretty strong throughout most of the song, expressing the band’s political and social views.

In case I haven’t made my point clear enough, The Decline is a rockin’ song and it’s dirt cheap too. If that’s not enough motivation for you, NOFX is donating proceeds from the album to various human and animal rights organizations. Hey, it’s for a good cause and you get great music in the process. Highly recommended.

Enjoyment: 90

Sound Quality: 80