(File under “Why didn’t they review this earlier?!”)
Retrospective time. This fine album came out in 1992 before the Year Zero punk rock opus that was Punk In Drublic. As such, this album tends to get lost in the “It’s good, but it aint Punk In Drublic” vibe but blow me if it doesn’t come within a gnat’s crotch of superseding it…
As a whole, the album has a much darker, more pissed-off tone than the majority of NOFX releases. True, there are lighter songs but the fact remains that this is the sound of a band fit to burst with all they have. Kicking off with ‘Soul Doubt’, still a live favourite and a riff that could be Iron Maiden on a happy day this song is up there with, well, Linoleum as a stunning album opener. Hefe’s sterling guitar work underneath Melvin’s strummed chords adds a depth to this song that is highlighted by the melodic middle-eight before slipping seamlessly back intot he familiar opening riff. It’s quite a rock ‘n roll song with a squealing solo breaking up proceedings before Fat Mike’s rasping voice ends proceedings.
‘You’re Bleeding’ is very like ‘Soul Doubt’ in that it’s very riff-based, with Mike’s voice given priority in the mix. Technically these songs are admirable in the way all the members work together. To be fair, if you’ve been playing together for 9 years already then it should be standard but it’s notable all the same. ‘Bob’ is an absolute classic in the world of punk rock, and for good reason. The descending drum beat channelling into the “Oi oi oi!”…need I say more? Then halfway through the song it suddenly goes all ska, then back to abrasive punk rock…magic.
As I mentioned earlier, there are a few quite dark songs that are very thought-provoking in their nature. I rate ‘She’s Gone’ as one of the best (if not THE best) NOFX songs of all time because it has a seething rage that explodes into life with the lyrics “the candle hadn’t burned down to the wick.” To stay on the subject of lyrical quality, this song is just astounding. It’s a woeful tale of loss that manages to retain it’s sensitivity even though it’s being played at a cathartic breakneck spped that pauses only for brief respite. It’s an angry song, and one that resounds with emotion. ‘The Bag’ and ‘I Wanna Be Your Baby’ also seem outwardly cheery but a glance at the lyric sheet suggests an outer sheen hiding a more beguiling inner meaning that isn’t all roses. On this album Fat Mike shows himself to be an accomplished lyricist even when steering clear of political or social topics, instead taking care to poignantly portray a more recognisable and familiar pain.
With all this you’d be forgiven that NOFX hadn’t grown a sense of humour by this stage. Happily you’d be most wrong. This is one of the things I love so much about this band, their flat refusal to be pigeon-holed. The sXe baiting version of McKay’s mantra ‘Straight Edge’ is hilariously daring, and Hefe stretches his vocal chords yet again on ‘Buggley Eyes‘. A humourous tale of a bad case of beer goggles it closes the album in a positive, light way while not letting go until the end.
‘Johnny Appleseed’ is an exercise in laid-back reggae/ska with Hefe on lead vox again, and ‘Liza And Louise’ should be recognisable as the precursor for the songs on Heavy Petting Zoo and Pump Up The Valuum.
I’ve heard this album described as The Beatles played at twice the speed. It has the melodies and the lyrics, but it’s a mighty collection in it’s own right. Any album that can boast this many classics deserves to go down in history as an important album for any band and it is a sure testament to NOFX‘s enduring quality that White Trash…has stood the test of time, as well as being able to stand up to PID and other astounding releases. Buy it now, please. Time to dust off that extra star.
Ben