Mxpx

The Ultimate Collection

Written by: PP on 30/05/2008 02:02:43

Mxpx are one of the most important bands to the punk rock culture. That\'s a statement you\'ll be sure to hear from any punk fan\'s mouth who has been following the scene for the better part of the last decade and a half. And I wholeheartedly agree, without this band I wouldn\'t be listening to the bands I am today. \"Teenage Politics\" helped shape my music taste towards punk rock, and the band\'s later material had a similar effect on me. A few months ago, Tooth & Nail Records released a massive two disc, 23-song compilation modestly titled \"The Ultimate Collection\", a name that I agree completely with.

Usually I\'m not so fond of \'best of\' albums, because they rarely include the band\'s best songs as opposed to those that sold most copies. \"The Ultimate Collection\" is a stranger in the masses of best of albums, given that a total of 15 songs from it are from the band\'s two best albums \"Teenage Politics\" and \"Life In General\", with three rare b-sides from \"Let It Happen\", two from \"Secret Weapon\" and only one from \"Pokinacha\" and from the other compilation album \"10 Years & Running\". Can a fan ask for more? Listening through classics like \"Punk Rawk Show\", \"Study Humans\", \"Money Tree\", \"Do Your Feet Hurt\" or \"Chick Magnet\" makes you remember why you once loved this band so much, if the latest releases have been letting you down one after the other. Don\'t get me wrong, I\'m a big fan of \"Panic!\" and I really love that record, but it just doesn\'t have the same life-defining qualities as the raw production of \"Teenage Politics\" or the unforgettable punk moments from \"Life In General\". That the label has shoved in some b-sides that were previously unreleased on anything else than Deluxe releases is great, too, even if \"Role Remodeling\" is one of the weakest Mxpx songs to date.

So get ready for frantic speeds, insanely catchy punk rock singalongs, rough, edgy production, and a re-visit to some of your favorite punk rock moments from the 90s. After listening through the entirety of Mxpx\'s \"The Ultimate Collection\", only one question remains: why doesn\'t the band go back to writing songs about youth relationships spiced up with crazy speeds and buzzing production? I guess they\'re getting old, but who knows, maybe one day...

For now, \"The Ultimate Collection\" is a must-purchase for any newer Mxpx fan who only got into the band through the newer albums. Hear and understand what all the punk rock scenesters are still talking about today.

8

Download: Money Tree, Do Your Feet Hurt, Sugarcoated Poison Apple
For the fans of: Lagwagon, NOFX, No Use For A Name
Listen: Myspace

Release date 11.03.2008
Tooth & Nail Records

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