Rock Against Bush, Vol. 1

Performer: Various Artists
Distributor: RED Distribution

Notes: Fat Mike freely admits to his spotty voting record. But that didn't stop him from founding www.punkvoter.org, an organization with a mission to mobilize young voters against President Bush and his administration's policies, and make 2004 the year punk spoke. Rock Against Bush features music from 26 likeminded artists, as well as a DVD packed with insightful, inciting political rabble-rousing and videos from types like Bad Religion, Anti-Flag, and Fat Mike's own NOFX. None More Black kicks things off with the martial, spittle-flying stomp of "Nothing to Do When You're Locked in a Vacancy," and Alkaline Trio's "Warbrain" attempts to save the world with a righteous pop-punk melody and memories of better days. The Offspring's "Baghdad" isn't the greatest song ever, but it's interesting that it dates from 1991 and the first Bush presidency. Speaking of the first Bush, Ministry returns with the frenetic industrial clatter of "No W," which updates the 1992 rant "N.W.O." with samples from the latest Bush president. Veteran D.I.Y. firebrands Jello Biafra and Billy Bragg are here, the latter teaming with Less Than Jake for "Brightest Bulb Has Burned Out." The Ataris cover Bad Religion's "Heaven Is Falling" acoustically, and Social Distortion's "Prison Bound" will hopefully turn A New Found Glory fans on to Prison Bound. Other highlights of Rock Against Bush include the bopping neo-new wave of the Epoxies, the Soviettes' raucous "�Paranoia! Cha-Cha-Cha," and Authority Zero's "Revolution." There are also stylistic detours from Denali (the austere "Normal Days") and the World/Inferno Friendship Society ("Expatriate Act"). There's a rousing, ruefully funny essay from Fat Mike in the liner notes; 17 of the comp's 26 tracks are unreleased or otherwise rare; and Fat Wreck is giving the thing away for six bucks. If that's not enough incentive, the set's DVD portion includes a piece of typically scathing comedy from David Cross. ~ Johnny Loftus It should come as no surprise that the punk-rock community went to the mat in expressing their displeasure with the 2004 White House administration by releasing the CD/DVD combo ROCK AGAINST BUSH VOL. 1. More than just a 26-track rant against authority, this collection, compiled by Fat Wreck Chords owner/NOFX frontman Fat Mike, brings together a broad range of pop-punk acts whose choice of well-written songs are only superseded by Fat Mike's thoughtful liner notes. Here Mike points out that the purpose of ROCK AGAINST BUSH is not about "being punk rock and hating the government," but rather "being punk rock and changing the government." To that end, the roster of acts involved range from the lollipop punk of Sum 41 ("Moron") and impassioned emo of New Found Glory ("No News Is Good News") to the righteous rants of Jello Biafra and D.O.A. ("That's Progress"). Sprinkled throughout the compilation are previously unreleased and rare songs, including the Ataris' lo-fi reading of Bad Religion's "Heaven Is Falling," a new version of the Offspring's 1991 song "Baghdad" (originally written about the first Bush administration), and Billy Bragg's sprightly collaboration with Less Than Jake on their track "The Brightest Bulb Has Burned Out."

Rolling Stone (p.89) - 3 stars out of 5 - "[A] refreshingly pointed collection of mostly unreleased but strong cuts..."

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