Sell Out Records - A Music Review Blog

When Mxpx jumped to A&M Records, I heard a lot of rumblings about how they sold out, and they weren’t Christians any longer. I didn’t care. I first heard a single from this record on KROQ in Los Angeles during Jed The Fish’s Catch of the Day segment. Released in 1998, produced by Steve Kravac, and the major label debut of the band, this is a solid outing. It’s not “polished” completely, it’s raw, it’s more interesting than “Life In General”, and it had a great treble to the bass sound. What I find cool about the history of this record, is that it took the band 2 years to get certified Gold (500,000 sales) for this one. That’s a sizable accomplishment for the trio from Bremerton, Washington. Stand out tracks here include “The Final Slowdance”, “I’m Ok, You’re Ok”, “The Downfall of Western Civilization”, “For Always”, “Self Serving With A Purpose”. The treble is too high in my view, but that’s what the band wanted. It’s a shining moment for them. You can pick up “Slowly Going The Way...

I remember when Fat Mike of Nofx announced that they signed Mxpx for a release. That’s what happened in 2001, which you got a 9 track EP that really changed the pace of the band. This came after “The Ever Passing Moment” that netted the band some MTV and Radio Play as well as a Pepsi commercial. With this EP, the band toned down a bit, and you hear it with the raw sound. Yuri and Tom played producers on here, with some great tracks, including “Lonesome Town”, and “Party II (Time To Go)” as highlights. It’s short, 9 tracks for 18 minutes, but it’s an interesting release from Fat Wreck Chords, none the less. “The Renaissance EP” is one of my personal favorites from the band, as it really was a bridge between full length releases. Classic West Coast Punk rock, with a DIY style of production, you’ll hear it when you hear it. You can pick up “The Renaissance EP” from Mxpx for $5.75 new here , or you can get it for $0.01 here . It’s a great one, but look for the Vinyl LP, which I prefer.

I was living in Seattle when Mxpx decided to put out “Secret Weapon”. It was officially put out July, 2007, and I had just moved in March. Living in Seattle was grand because that meant the band was doing a lot of in-store appearances. It was one hell of a record, and I had the special edition, plus the double 12” vinyl. The CD version was also grand, and I had them all signed when I met up with the band at Silver Platters. Anyways, this is a strong record with a lot of great songs, and possibly the best from the band since their 1996 record. Some of my favorites include “Secret Weapon”, “Shut It Down”, “Angels”, “Drowning”, “Chop Shop”, and “Bass So Low”. Overall, these songs are great, but the whole record is a huge release that deserves a lot more attention. It’s polished, it sold well, it’s a favorite, what can I say? Produced by Aaron Sprinkle, this is a killer sounding album. You can pick up “Secret Weapon” from Mxpx for $5.99 new here , or you could pick it up used for $0.23 her...

One of the shining lights for me in 2009, was when I picked up this record from Mxpx. This is a collection of Christmas tracks from the band. “Punk Rawk Christmas” is a very awesome record, and if you’re savvy, you can find the limited edition 7” record that has a couple of acoustic B-Sides. Other than that, you can get 14 tracks or 16 tracks on the bonus edition. Either way, the record is a compilation of tracks that were released to PxPx members, but other than that, 2 extra tracks came through. Ok, this is a punk rock Christmas album, and it’s one of the best alternative Christmas records that you’re going to find today. I love it. The fun mix of punk, and even hip hop is great. Mxpx does amazing things with the traditional and non-traditional songs. My favorite is none other than “Christmas Night of the Living Dead”, which is rad. If you like alternative Christmas records, Mxpx Punk Rawk Christmas is $9.99 new and used , it’s out of print. It’s worth it!

In 1996, Mxpx put out what would become their insanely popular “Life in General”, and with that came a few singles. One of the singles that I really sought out was “Move To Bremerton”. Now, this was a time before you could hear this band on the radio, and before you could get the songs from YouTube, or Napster or anything. So I read about this release, and sought it out via mail order. The record features 5 songs, with 4 of them being ones I hadn’t heard. “Rock and Roll Girl”, “Circumstance”, “Easier Said Than Done”, and “Chick Magnet (live on KNDD)”, are the stand outs, aside from the title track single. “Circumstance” alone is the reason to pick up this EP. If you check out the video, you get a good look at the band’s home town. I know, this is an odd pick up, but if you’re a record collector, this is no doubt one of the pieces to the Mxpx discography you should pick up. You can pick up “Move To Bremerton” by Mxpx for $6.99 new , or you could get it for $0.01 by clicking here .

Ok, so after we discussed so much jazz, let’s discuss a little punk. I love punk. Ever since I first heard The Ramones, I was hooked. RIP CBGB’s! “Life In General” is the 1996 release from Mxpx. My nephew told me that these guys were and I took him to see them with Less Than Jake, and The Hippos. I felt old. But you know, these guys really were good. Anyways, this record features 17 tracks, and it’s done in 44 minutes or so. The drumming is what really stands out here, but it’s Mike’s bass delivery, and Tom’s guitar work that really puts on a rocking showcase. Stand out tracks include “Middlename”, “Move To Bremerton”, “Andrea”, “Southbound”, and others. I’ve seen these guys too many times, and they seem so much bigger than a punk band. Steve Kravac’s production stands out on this record, making it a must own for punk fans. Oh, and I love the artwork by “Coop”, so cool. You can pick up “ Life In General” by Mxpx new for like $10 around , or you can get it for $0.01 by clicking here . I...

If you're going to pick up anything from Max Roach's discography, I recommend the following records. Click the links for reviews posted. Max Roach Live in Berlin LP Kind of Roach Box Set LP Deeds, Not Words LP Drums Unlimited LP Max Roach Trio Featuring Hassan Ibn LP At Basin Street LP

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As far as jazz drumming is concerned, Max Roach is my favorite. Maybe it’s because I love the name “Roach”. With this release from Atlantic Records in 1966, Max finds himself putting on a showcase of drums and jazz music. Some people will call this “hard-bop”, to which I say, that’s elitism. Roach’s drum solos here are great, but there’s also some great bass solo work. Jymie Merritt’s bass work on “Nommo” is incredible. That song along makes this worth picking up. The line up here is Max Roach (drums), Freddie Hubbard (trumpet), Roland Alexander (soprano sax), Ronnie Matthews (piano), James Spaulding (alto sax), Jymie Merritt (bass). It’s a great record, and features some great playing. Fans of Max Roach will love this essential jazz record. You can pick up “Drums Unlimited” new for $11.46 , or spend a lot less and get it for around $2.05 by clicking here . It’s a great jazz record in my view.

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This blog is all about music discovery. It's updated not so daily with elements from all over the web. Mostly music that I like. Nothing really too difficult. I'm just trying to figure out how to navigate all of this.