DESCENDENTS SCOOP

[JGJR]

The one tune they've put online is a reminder that these were written by a bunch of teenagers in their first band. I'll buy and listen for historical purposes, but I'm not expecting to be blown away.

I think its going to take me back to when I first heard Milo Goes to College and I expect this record to be great or Bill would not have made it public. It is a bit of a challenge wanting it to be like Milo Goes to College because Milo's voice is certainly different to my ears on the more recent recordings including this one song than it was back then. So, in that sense, it sounds like current Descendents.

100% When we interviewed Bill and Milo in 2016, he (Bill) explicitly stated that they purposely take their sweet time, come up with songs first, etc. I don't think they'd release something they're not proud of tbh.

[SamDBL]

I just listened to the one song for the first time. And I have to say, I'm digging the shit out of it. Here's what stands out to me:
1. Every guitar player brought something very specific to the band. Just like they sounded different with Dave or Scott or Chad singing, they also sounded quite different with Frank or Ray on guitar. This guitarist did the whole bar chord thing, which they have since abandoned. I love it.
2. The song just sounds outstanding. They''ve really distilled their sound and got it down to a formula since the first Epitaph record. I like that stuff, too. But this song just sounds so different. And, therefore, is a completely unpredictable sound in modern-era 'dents.
3. They even went for capturing the 'College' production quality, sonically. Also a really unexpected move. I thought, again, maybe they'd just graft the new/old guys into the current 'dents mold. They totally didn't.
4. Again, even though Bill is the brains of the band, and Milo's voice is a completely integral part of the descendents sound... this really showcases that the other two players in the band at any given time are also a huge part of their identity. This illustrates that in a neat way. As we have all just been conditioned throughout the years of the gradual evolution of the band in a linear fashion... dropping that old line-up back on us really just puts the whole thing into perspective.

Anyway, I think it sounds fuckin' phenomenal. And such a great idea, in general.

[gregpolard]

I just listened to the one song for the first time. And I have to say, I'm digging the shit out of it. Here's what stands out to me:
1. Every guitar player brought something very specific to the band. Just like they sounded different with Dave or Scott or Chad singing, they also sounded quite different with Frank or Ray on guitar. This guitarist did the whole bar chord thing, which they have since abandoned. I love it.
2. The song just sounds outstanding. They''ve really distilled their sound and got it down to a formula since the first Epitaph record. I like that stuff, too. But this song just sounds so different. And, therefore, is a completely unpredictable sound in modern-era 'dents.
3. They even went for capturing the 'College' production quality, sonically. Also a really unexpected move. I thought, again, maybe they'd just graft the new/old guys into the current 'dents mold. They totally didn't.
4. Again, even though Bill is the brains of the band, and Milo's voice is a completely integral part of the descendents sound... this really showcases that the other two players in the band at any given time are also a huge part of their identity. This illustrates that in a neat way. As we have all just been conditioned throughout the years of the gradual evolution of the band in a linear fashion... dropping that old line-up back on us really just puts the whole thing into perspective.

Anyway, I think it sounds fuckin' phenomenal. And such a great idea, in general.

I.....agree with all of this.

[drew]

For all the times anyone had wished a band stayed “true to their OG sound” or whatever and a great band like the ‘Dents gives the people exactly that without it being rehearsal or practice space bullshit. Very cool.

[SamDBL]

It’s such an interesting experiment. One tends to chalk their evolution in sound up to abilities as song writers, producers and players naturally growing in various ways. But then you hear these other guys back in the fold and realize that it’s not so much that as it is the specific musical identities of all the players they’ve had throughout the years. Even though we all know that all the guys involved in the band over the years have been a cut or two above their peers in terms of playing ability... you still kind of might take the contributions of the guys that *aren’t* the main song writers or singers in the band for granted. Like, if BR got Pete Finestone and Greg Heston back in the band, I highly doubt we would suddenly be transported back to the Suffer/No Control days. They would probably sound the same as they does now, but with sloppier execution. This Descendents experiment has turned out quite differently.

Side note: what ever happened to the guitar player from Enjoy? I thought he was fuckin stellar. St. Vitus tone playing pop punk and thrash.

[xxxMidgexxx]

Side note: what ever happened to the guitar player from Enjoy? I thought he was fuckin stellar. St. Vitus tone playing pop punk and thrash.

That was Ray and a totally bizarre guitar sound for the band. When I heard 'Hurtin' Crue' I didn't know how to react, it came across as speed metal which I liked with the Hetfield/Mustaine picking. They made it work.

[jaybird]

I agree with Sam that this is a really cool project/experiment, but it's not entirely unprecedented... I think both "Eunuch Boy" and "Doghouse" (both of which I love) off Everything Sucks were similar in concept... they brought in Tony and Frank to play on those songs which I think both dated back to the early 80s/original lineup.


I think in the Filmage movie, it mentions Ray is a software engineer now and lives in chicago... he and Tony did do a 7" under the name Spiffy back in the 90s that was pretty good.

[Hal]

I really like that Spiffy 7". I recently discovered that it is available on Spotify under another band of the same name.

https://open.spotify.com/album/419QOzSJ ... AConFmcEfg

[lewdd]

I used to have those Spiffy singles but I am pretty sure I sold them years ago.

[JGJR]

Side note: what ever happened to the guitar player from Enjoy? I thought he was fuckin stellar. St. Vitus tone playing pop punk and thrash.

That was Ray and a totally bizarre guitar sound for the band. When I heard 'Hurtin' Crue' I didn't know how to react, it came across as speed metal which I liked with the Hetfield/Mustaine picking. They made it work.

Absolute genius. Even back in college, my friend who was as mainstream as you could get back then with her musical taste liked the lyrics a lot, particularly the line "thought school would be such a blast, just flunked another fuckin' class" when I read her those lyrics.

Many years later, I got to ask cischord about the nuclear tits, too.

[jaybird]

So.... haven't received my vinyl yet, but a buddy sent me a digital copy of the record a couple days ago, and been listening pretty heavily.... you can really hear the warped 60's/garage rock influence in the songs... they're all really short blasts of twisted 60s AM radio pop... kinda reminds me of later Angry Samoans a bit, which is kinda weird considering how they evolved into a more 60s sound in the late 80s from their straight-up punk beginnings, while the Descendents apparently worked their way from more of a 60s pop approach to more of a hardcore/punk sound as they progressed, but whatever... Frank's sorta jangly/sorta punk guitar style & tone is pretty unique in itself, and really lends itself well to the material. It will be interesting to hear how Stephen handles it if/when they start working some of this material into their live sets going forward. Milo still sounds tuneful, but his more gravely/raspy mature timbre is appealing, and Bill and Tony's playing is nifty as always. I also like how the lyrics tend more toward the bitter/cynical/scabrous side of things without much apology.

Really just a cool record... I can tell I will be listening to this for awhile, and the songs are already worming their way into my background 24/7 brain-radio... Standouts: "Last of The Mohicans", "Nightage", "I'm Shaky", "To Remember", "I Need Some" and a pretty smoking cover of "Glad All Over". The re-cuts of "Ride the Wild" and "Hectic World" are way, way better than the original versions as well.

[lewdd]

I will be listening to it on Spotify tomorrow and waiting for my copies to arrive via mail. They shipped yesterday.

MXV received his multiple versions of colored vinyl from Europe already.

[creature]

They used to play a rad instrumental called "Russian-age." Too band it's not on the record.

[BAIN]

The re-cuts of "Ride the Wild" and "Hectic World" are way, way better than the original versions as well.

sadly I cannot agree with this statement at all

sometimes in life you don't fuck with perfect

[lewdd]

The re-cuts of "Ride the Wild" and "Hectic World" are way, way better than the original versions as well.

sadly I cannot agree with this statement at all

sometimes in life you don't fuck with perfect

I'm in the Jaybird camp especially on "Ride the Wild".

"Last of the Mohicans" sounds like modern day Descendents to me.

I'm going through the album now. I will probably give it 3-5 more listens tonight, but so far I think it is a keeper with the exception of "Grudge".

[xxxHunterxxx]

Easily the best Descendents record since “Everything Sucks.”

[lewdd]

Easily the best Descendents record since “Everything Sucks.”

It is certainly no worse than those. But we ALL have our individual opinions. It will make my record rotation. I am sure it will be heavily in the rotation for the next 30-90 days just because it is a "new" Descendents record!

[lewdd]

"Nightage" is my fave from this album

[lewdd]

who is singing on "Grudge"?

[gregpolard]

I was wondering that too.

I bet I'd know if the vinyl I preodered on 5/4 was here now.

But alas, Kings Road sucks. I have no tracking number or anything. No notice that it shipped. They're easily the worst of these bigger merch companies.

Editing to add that this is no disrespect to the band as I know they have 0 control over this, I've just had issues w/ Kingsroad before as well - actually on the last album preorder LOL

Editing again: Record came today

[scannest]

After one listen, I like it a lot more than I expected to. You hear their influences (Ramones, X, surf music - esp. in Bill's drums) more clearly, which make sense - these were their first songs, essentially.

[the mean]

Editing to add that this is no disrespect to the band as I know they have 0 control over this, I've just had issues w/ Kingsroad before as well - actually on the last album preorder LOL

Wait, the band doesn't control what merch store they use?

[gregpolard]

Editing to add that this is no disrespect to the band as I know they have 0 control over this, I've just had issues w/ Kingsroad before as well - actually on the last album preorder LOL

Wait, the band doesn't control what merch store they use?

I assume since they're on Epitaph and Epitaph owns Kings Road...

But I dunno. I just know I've had a lot of annoying experiences w/ them

[the mean]

Editing to add that this is no disrespect to the band as I know they have 0 control over this, I've just had issues w/ Kingsroad before as well - actually on the last album preorder LOL

Wait, the band doesn't control what merch store they use?

I assume since they're on Epitaph and Epitaph owns Kings Road...

But I dunno. I just know I've had a lot of annoying experiences w/ them

I mean, I assume a band looks at things like this when they sign.

[gregpolard]

Editing to add that this is no disrespect to the band as I know they have 0 control over this, I've just had issues w/ Kingsroad before as well - actually on the last album preorder LOL

Wait, the band doesn't control what merch store they use?

I assume since they're on Epitaph and Epitaph owns Kings Road...

But I dunno. I just know I've had a lot of annoying experiences w/ them

I mean, I assume a band looks at things like this when they sign.

Ok? I still am not blaming them.

[xxxMidgexxx]

Easily the best Descendents record since “Everything Sucks.”

[xxxHunterxxx]

Easily the best Descendents record since “Everything Sucks.”

You like Ratt, Cannibal Corpse, and Styx and hate Bob Dylan — I’d be worried if you DID agree with me.

[xxxMidgexxx]

Easily the best Descendents record since “Everything Sucks.”

You like Ratt, Cannibal Corpse, and Styx and hate Bob Dylan — I’d be worried if you DID agree with me.

Welp, they're no Steely Dan, that's fer sure.

[scannest]

You like Ratt, Cannibal Corpse, and Styx and hate Bob Dylan — I’d be worried if you DID agree with me.

You forgot Kansas. But in this case, Midge is right - HYPERCAFFIUM SPAZZINATE is a great record. Sometimes I think it's their best.

[JGJR]

You like Ratt, Cannibal Corpse, and Styx and hate Bob Dylan — I’d be worried if you DID agree with me.

You forgot Kansas. But in this case, Midge is right - HYPERCAFFIUM SPAZZINATE is a great record. Sometimes I think it's their best.

Cool to Be You is super overlooked and great, too. I just played it earlier today.

[gregpolard]

You like Ratt, Cannibal Corpse, and Styx and hate Bob Dylan — I’d be worried if you DID agree with me.

You forgot Kansas. But in this case, Midge is right - HYPERCAFFIUM SPAZZINATE is a great record. Sometimes I think it's their best.

Cool to Be You is super overlooked and great, too. I just played it earlier today.

It's good but I can safely say that this album slays it. It's too soon to determine if it's better than Hypercaffium. Need to wait until some of the new car smell wears off haha

[JGJR]

You like Ratt, Cannibal Corpse, and Styx and hate Bob Dylan — I’d be worried if you DID agree with me.

You forgot Kansas. But in this case, Midge is right - HYPERCAFFIUM SPAZZINATE is a great record. Sometimes I think it's their best.

Cool to Be You is super overlooked and great, too. I just played it earlier today.

It's good but I can safely say that this album slays it. It's too soon to determine if it's better than Hypercaffium. Need to wait until some of the new car smell wears off haha

Musically maybe, but I don't think Bill has ever written better lyrics than "One More Day" or "Anchor Grill."

[tad ghostal]

who is singing on "Grudge"?

Frank

[the mean]

I wonder if this record is any good. I might be able to answer that, but the record I pre-orded in May is still not here.

[gregpolard]

I wonder if this record is any good. I might be able to answer that, but the record I pre-orded in May is still not here.

Ah man, the pressing backups are really starting to hit.

[the mean]

I wonder if this record is any good. I might be able to answer that, but the record I pre-orded in May is still not here.

Ah man, the pressing backups are really starting to hit.

Just got a reply stating that whatever random variant I chose was kicked back to November. That's the sort of thing they should maybe let you know before you have to contact them.