GenturZine

Track listing

1. Biggest Lie (2:11)
2. I Want to Be Wrong (2:44)
3. Yours to Destroy (3:25)
4. Under the Garden (3:01)
5. Sleeping Between Trucks (2:05)
6. Domino (3:02)
7. The Feel Good Song of the Year (3:09)
8. The Trumpet Player (3:09)
9. Night of the Living Living (2:28)
10. Ontario (1:55)
11. Pacific Standard Time (2:48)
12. The Dregs of Sobriety (2:44)
13. Kill the Rich (2:06)
14. Take It Home (2:42)

The Feel Good Record of the Year might not live up to its name, but the ninth full-length from these San Jose, California mainstays is the best album the band has released since 1997's Making Friends, save for some of the very best moments from More Betterness!. It's not so much that the album is a return to form for the band; they've never strayed too far from their melodic skatepunk sound they landed upon after ditching their harder material in the early `90s. It seems instead as though the band has finally grasped what exactly it is they're best at and what their fans want from them, which are coincidently the same thing. No Use for a Name sound best when playing melodic skatepunk at a fast pace with hints of melancholy and the occasional acoustic song; No Use for a Name's fans like it when they play melodic skatepunk at a fast pace with hints of melancholy and the occasional acoustic song.

At its best moments, songs from The Feel Good Record of the Year would fit seamlessly on any of the band's older albums, especially "I Want to Be Wrong" with its killer bassline and the title track which feels like a B-side from Making Friends that someone eventually got scolded at for forgetting about. The piano-driven "Ontario" is a welcome break to the driving tempo carried through most of the album. While there are plenty of changes in the mood of the record while it plays through, those changes match the mood of the band, which has always had its own ups and downs lyrically and musically.

The band does stumble at times, though. "Yours to Destroy" sounds like a cross between the Ataris' version of "Boys of Summer" and a synth track left on the computer that someone forgot to erase. Meanwhile, "The Trumpet Player" throws the listener off track momentarily with its too-slow bass drum that sounds a little too similar to a NOFX song I don't like. But these few low points don't get in the way of what at its core is a fantastic return of a band that I miss rocking out to in my (friend's) car in the (high) school parking lot.
Source : www.punknews.org

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Tracklist
01. Part Two - 3:35
02. There Will Be Revenge - 2:42
03. For Fiona - 2:41
04. Check for a Pulse - 2:36
05. Divine Let Down - 1:41
06. Black Box - 2:50
07. Bullets - 2:27
08. Failing is Easier (Part Three) - 0:41
09. Apparition - 3:18
10. It's Tragic - 3:24
11. Killing Time - 2:58
12. Slowly Fading Fast - 3:10
13. Overdue - 3:14

As one of the important early practitioners of California skate punk, No Use for a Name would have every right to simply rest on its laurels, churning out one album of speedy, harmony-infused pop-punk rock after another. Luckily, the band refuses to stop refining its sound. Long-time fans need not worry, of course; KEEP THEM CONFUSED doesn't attempt to reinvent the wheel. There are plenty of high-energy guitars and mosh-worthy beats on display, but NUFAN isn't afraid to throw a wrench in the works either. "Divine Let Down" matches a John Lennon-esque melody to an ultra-spare, heavily processed drum beat and lightly strummed acoustic guitars. "Apparition" is full-on mid-tempo alternative rock, full of big choruses and plaintive Brian Wilson-style verses. "Bullets" shows a newfound lyrical maturity, waxing philosophical about the nature of religion and human relationships while maintaining an endearing adolescent innocence.

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Tracklist
01. Feels Like Home - 1:04
02. International You Day - 2:52
03. Pre-Medicated Murder - 1:58
04. Dumb Reminders - 2:49
05. Any Number Can Play - 2:38
06. Friends of the Enemy - 3:27
07. Angela - 2:45
08. Let Me Down - 2:58
09. This Is a Rebel Song - 2:24 (Sinéad O'Connor cover)
10. Solitaire - 2:46
11. Undefeated - 2:54
12. Insecurity Alert - 3:11
13. Nailed Shut - 2:41

No Use for a Name has built its reputation on a solid foundation of hard-hitting punk, flooding its songs with melodies and fueling them with signature stop-start rhythms that thunder across the grooves, come to an abrupt halt, then pound off again in hyperdrive. Thus, it's a bit of a shock to find Hard Rock Bottom opening with a brief acoustic number, and although nothing else clocks in at this dawdling pace, a handful of mid-tempo numbers are scattered about as well. Equally startling is a cover of Sinéad O'Connor's "This Is a Rebel Song," a pusillanimous duet between Tony Sly and guesting chanteuse Karina Denike. While the Pogues long ago proved that Irish drinking songs were part and parcel of punk, what of violins and cellos? Not only do they add to the bitter atmosphere of "Rebel," but they positively swan their way around many of the songs' intros and middle breaks. However, with Ryan Greene in the producer's chair there's no need for concern; he keeps the sound pumping and the music kicking, with the strings merely creating melancholy and bittersweet atmospheres for the band to punch its way out of. After seven records, it's encouraging to see NUFAN taking chances and broadening its style somewhat, and there are still plenty of punchy numbers to keep the hardcore constituency happy -- driving songs like "Undefeated," "Dumb Reminders," and the anthemic "International You Day." Lead guitarist Dave Nassie positively shines throughout this set; from the searing leads on "Angela" through the pretty riff that opens "Nailed Shut" and the Who-esque power chords of "Any Number Can Play," he always has intriguing musical twists to contribute. As always, the powerhouse rhythm section keeps things slamming along underneath, while Sly keeps the emotions boiling throughout. NUFAN has never stood still, and Hard Rock Bottom finds the band pushing forward as forcibly as ever. - Jo-Ann Greene.

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Tracklist
01. Intro - 0:49
02. Invincible - 2:06
03. Coming Too Close - 2:53
04. Chasing Rainbows - 3:03
05. On The Outside - 3:06
06. Straight From The Jacket - 2:18
07. Soulmate - 3:34
08. Not Your Savior - 3:16
09. Don't Miss The Train - 3:39
10. Justified Black Eye - 2:35
11. Gene And Paul I Hate You Most Of All And Ace, You're The Ace And Peter You're The Cat - 0:55
12. Sara Fisher - 0:41
13. Room 19 - 3:09
14. The Answer Is Still No - 2:30
15. Martian - 1:32
16. Hail To The King - 1:04
17. Feeding The Fire - 1:48
18. Exit - 4:09
19. 6 Degrees From Misty - 3:34
20. Redemption Song - 3:45

No Use for a Name's Live in a Dive is exactly what it sounds like it might be: a live album. However, it hardly sounds as though it was recorded in a dive. With excellent sound and even some live video material as part of the CD-ROM, the quality is spectacular and comes off without a hitch. For those unfamiliar with NUFAN's sound, this ancient (in terms of the melodic punk rock scene) band plays a nice blend of melodic hardcore and hard-nosed punk. Fans of the band will not only appreciate hearing the band's live sound (especially if they've never had the chance to see them), but more importantly they'll dig the comic book that comes with the LP or as part of the booklet in the CD. - Kurt Morris, All Music Guide.

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Tracklist
01. Not Your Savior - 3:45
02. Life Size Mirror - 3:10
03. Chasing Rainbows - 2:49
04. Lies Can't Pretend - 2:48
05. Why Doesn't Anybody Like Me? - 3:09
06. Sleeping In - 3:06
07. Fairytale of New York - 4:04
08. Pride - 3:06
09. Always Carrie - 2:46
10. Let It Slide - 2:15
11. Six Degrees from Misty - 2:39
12. Coming Too Close - 3:18
13. Saddest Song - 4:00
14. Room 19 - 3:20

All that needs to be heard is the first song on More Bitterness and that pretty much generalizes the entire album. Just straightforward mid-tempo, pop-punk, multi-layered vocals, and the occasional sample that'll inform the listener when another song is starting. What else could be said for a band that's practically put out the same album for the last several years? At least they do an abrasive versions of the Pouges' "Fairytale of New York" -- thanks to a little help from Tilt's Cinder Block -- which alone deserves a star. - Mike DaRonco, All Music Guide.

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Album Info
Released : August 26, 1997
Recorded : Motor Studios, San Francisco, California
Genre : Punk rock, Skate punk
Length : 35:31
Label : Fat Wreck Chords
Producer : Ryan Greene, No Use for a Name

Tracklist
01. The Answer Is Still No - 2:33
02. Invincible - 2:22
03. Growing Down - 2:02
04. On the Outside - 2:51
05. A Postcard Would Be Nice - 2:01
06. Secret - 3:24
07. Best Regards - 1:50
08. Revenge - 1:52
09. Sidewalk - 2:17
10. 3 Month Weekend - 1:17
11. Sitting Duck - 1:21
12. Fields of Athenry - 11:40

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Album Info
Released : February 15, 1995
Recorded : The Razor's Edge, San Francisco, California
Genre : Punk rock, skate punk
Length : 35:25
Label : Fat Wreck Chords
Producer : Fat Mike, Ryan Greene

Tracklist
01. Justified Black Eye - 2:39
02. Couch Boy - 2:11
03. Soulmate - 3:07
04. 51 Days - 2:13
05. Leave It Behind - 2:47
06. Redemption Song (Bob Marley cover)– 2:38
07. Straight from the Jacket - 2:21
08. Fields of Agony - 2:24
09. Fatal Flu - 2:30
10. Wood - 1:25
11. Alone - 2:09
12. Exit - 9:03

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Tracklist
01. Born Addicted - 2:40
02. Thorn In My Side - 2:18
03. Looney Toon - 1:50
04. TollBridge - 2:39
05. Hole - 1:56
06. Another Step - 2:18
07. Don't Miss The Train - 2:55
08. Watching - 3:04
09. Punk Points - 1:56
10. Tan In A Can - 2:00
11. Death Doesn't Care - 3:21
12. Get Out Of This Town - 1:55

Fat Wreck Chords takes note of its biggest bands' pasts, reissuing their earliest albums released before they joined the Fat family. Don't Miss the Train was No Use for a Name's second album, and it was quite a change from the group's debut, Incognito. Now expanded to a quartet with the arrival of second guitarist Chris Dodge, the band was undergoing a notable metamorphosis. Previously, thundering metal was intercut with occasional flashes of punk, normally found within the song's choruses. The metal still flails across the grooves here, but now the hardcore is coming to the fore. Stronger melodies are appearing, the choruses are more anthemic, harmonies are creeping in, and, overall, the tracks are faster and boast a lighter touch. Songs like the fast and furious "Another Step," the melody-driven title track, and the thoughtful "Death Don't Care" are signposts to the band's future path. No Use for a Name had not arrived yet, but the band had caught the train and was well on its way. - Jo-Ann Greene, All Music Guide.

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Tracklist
01. DMV - 3:08
02. Sign The Bill - 2:08
03. It Won't Happen Again - 4:10
04. Hail To The King - 1:51
05. Weirdo 2:37
06. Truth Hits Everybody (The Police cover) – 2:44
07. Felix - 2:23
08. Noitall - 2:20
09. I Detest - 2:13
10. Puppet Show - 3:20
11. Record Thieves - 2:49
12. Power Bitch - 4:04

Fat Wreck Chords is reissuing early albums by their most popular bands, a potent reminder of where they've been and how far they've come. Incognito was No Use for a Name's debut full-length, a solid slab of hulking hardcore with mighty fists full of metal. At this point, the group was a trio comprised of Tony Sly, Rory Koff, and bassist Steve Papoutsis. Melodies were at a premium, the rhythms were pusillanimous, the attitude angry, and the atmosphere threatening. On the almost Neurosis-like "It Won't Happen Again," they're absolutely menacing, a far cry from their more contemporary sound. However, there are hints of their future direction. "Truth Hits Everybody," for example, is fast and furious, with a contagious melody and an anthemic, harmony-rinsed chorus. Producers Brett Gurewitz and Donnell Cameron give the whole album a shine, smoothing down the more jagged edges and gracing the album with a more coherent feel than the group really had in those early days. No Use for a Name had a way to go, and at this point they were more in the thrall of metal than punk. That would change. - Jo-Ann Greene, All Music Guide.

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Tracklist
01. Until It's Gone
02. What's His Name
03. Permanent Rust
04. Biomag
05. Countdown
06. Hazardous To Yourself
07. The Daily Grind
08. Feeding the Fire

No Use for a Name made the jump to Fat Wreck Chords and arguably arrived with The Daily Grind in 1993. The Bad Religion comparisons are inevitable, but that wasn't exactly a safe route to commercial success when NUFAN formed in 1987. But while the music is fast and furious, it drips with irresistible harmonies, and Tony Sly's lyrics are a thoughtful critique of modern society. Traditionally straightforward punk lyrics mean the meaning won't be lost in metaphor. From the title track: "on the other side of town/people are sleeping on the ground/look not far and you will find/a tragedy, the daily grin.d" The cassette versions includes the band's sophomore LP, Don't Miss the Train. - Ron DePasquale.

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