eMusic Review 0

eMusic Contributor

01.03.11

Consistently satisfying pretty much every time

2011 | Label: Epitaph

Wine gets better with age, if you have the patience. Whiskey and beer are always pretty good. Social Distortion, the long running, iconic SoCal punk rock band, are more like the latter — consistently satisfying pretty much every time.

Following up 2004's Sex, Drugs And Rock 'N Roll, Social D's new full-length, Hard Times & Nursery Rhymes, finds singer/guitarist/punkabilly poet Mike Ness switching up the brand a little bit, throwing in a sonic wrinkle here and there; but the song and sound remain reliably the same.

Beginning with a speed-limit-busting instrumental ("Road Zombie"), the band plays their first new card with "California (Hustle & Flow)," adding some soulful backing vocals to the mid-tempo stomp. Elements of glam-punk pop up throughout (which makes sense, since Ness described the album as being influenced by Johnny Thunders), and there's a Skynrd-like Dixie crunch on the epic "Bakersfield"; both are welcome additions to the Social D. sonic palette.

It's always nice to try something new, but we go to Social Distortion to get Neil Young & Crazy Horse on bad-Cali-desert-trucker-speed: three-and-a-half chords and some tear-stained biker poetry rock 'n' roll. And for those purposes, "Sweet And Lowdown" and "Machine Gun Blues," with its amusing lyrical reference… read more »

Know when to say when...

The first time I saw Social Distortion I was 18 which was 22 years ago. Mike Ness walked out with the attitude that he had it in him to prove to the world nothing could stop him. He was right! HOWEVER, like most of us, we are our own worst enemies... That fire is gone, the new stuff is like hanging on a thread writing yourself into what could be the most washed up version of a band you could imagine. Love you guys but you should have let it go after Dennis passed away.

After all these years...

7 years is far too long to wait between albums, but it appears the wait was worth it. This album is sweet. No, it's not a return to their punk roots, but it's a solid rock album, mixing in SD's now-trademark stylings including blues, country, and even a little gospel, all delivered with a punk edge. Definitely worth the download. Oh, and if you want to save $.42, download the regular album, and just get the last two bonus tracks here. It's cheaper (at least until they read this). eMusics new pricing plan sucks big time.