NOW Magazine // Music // NOFX

Story Tools
Email
Print
Republish
Save
Share

NOW Rating	N	N	N	N	N

Reader's Rating

Disc Review

NOFX

Coaster (Fat Wreck Chords)

Jason Keller

If you expected the new NOFX album to sound any different from the last 10 NOFX studio albums, you’ve stage-dived onto your head too often. Fat Mike isn’t interested in experimenting with the band’s sound patent, especially this late in the game.

His lyrics, though, are getting better with time. There’s self-deprecating humour about using their CDs as coasters, unabashed Christian-baiting on Best God In Show and alarmingly large numbers of substance-abuse admissions on First Call and I Am An Alcoholic. Best of all is Mike’s hazy account of a backstage meeting with Sara (or Tegan) in the shameless Creeping Out Sara.

Coaster’s not exemplary, but it’s definitely a quality late-career entry in NOFX’s increasingly uniform catalogue.

Top track: First Call

NOFX arrive with the Warped Tour at Arrow Hall on July 10.

NOW | May 13-20, 2009 | VOL 28 NO 37

Go to Music

Comments

Posted by David James on 05/27/2009, 10:22 PM

I agree with most of this review, the lyrics have grown over the years, and in a WAY each NOFX album is better than the last. Granted, being a fan for over 10 years, classic NOFX albums (Punk In Drublic, So Long... etc) cannot be ignored, but I think this is their best overall album.

What I don't agree with, is that the reviewer states that their sound hasn't changed a bit. Which leads me to wonder if he's heard any NOFX prior to War On Erroism or Wolves In Wolves clothing. The first two tracks on Coaster are pretty typical, but great songs. However a lot of the album has sounds touching on Steve Miller Band and other 60's/70's influences, which a lot of their other music is strictly hardcore-punk/metal inspired. I think Coaster is great front to back. Great music with some silly lyrics, as well as touching and socio/political ones.

Posted by brooksb on 07/09/2009, 07:40 AM

I really don't agree that this album sounds a lot like their "last 10". Depending on which "10" you're talking about it's either a stretch or absurd. Do you really think this album sounds a lot like S&M Airlines or Ribbed?

Even if you count all the minor releases you're going back to at least Pump Up the Valuum... and that album has very little in common with this one (besides a less political tone than most).

The album is new to me and I already love it (been listening to NOFX since mid-90's). I didn't even love War on Errorism right away, and that turned out to be one of my favorites. I did love Ribbed right away - and that's still my favorite.

My only complaints: Their sound is just too damn polished. I appreciate the diversity of guitar sounds they use, and I'm glad they still (don't) play ska anymore, but would it kill them to throw in a few classic hardcore songs?

For a NOFX album this gets a 7.8 out of 10. Compared to a random album I give it a 9 out of 10.