Punk Rock is an album by the band the Mekons, released in 2004.[1][2] The Mekons supported the album with a North American tour.[3] Punk Rock was a success on college radio.[4]
| Punk Rock | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 2004 | |||
| Studio | Western Sound Labs | |||
| Label | Quarterstick | |||
| Producer | The Mekons, Kenneth Sluiter | |||
| The Mekons chronology | ||||
| ||||
Production edit
The songs, written by the Mekons between 1977 and 1981, were recorded during the band's 25th anniversary tour.[5][6] The band chose to record them live or live in the studio.[7] Founding bandmember Jon Langford did not like the band's debut album, which he thought was incapably sung; he also lamented that it was released by Richard Branson's Virgin Records.[8] Langford also thought that the songs still had meaning and were fun to play.[9] The Mekons used a Canadian Mekons tribute band, Eaglebauer, on "Fight the Cuts".[10] "The Building" was sung a cappella.[11]
Critical reception edit
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [12] |
| Robert Christgau | A−[13] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [14] |
| Rolling Stone | [15] |
| The Tampa Tribune | B+[16] |
The Morning Call wrote that "the Mekons raise the right questions with the proper amount of skepticism, idealism and rude humor, without seeming to follow a formula."[17] The Chicago Tribune determined that, "if the higher fidelity, better playing and technically anachronistic presence of later-addition Sally Timms' beautiful vocals belie (in the best possible way) the passage of time, the band does a great job capturing the rage and chaos of that important time."[18]
Chuck Eddy, in The Village Voice, concluded that "Punk Rock salvages plenty of odes to failure/disgrace/infidelity/life-during-wartime plus drunken rants about bowing to republic and employer from rare imports long sold to used-vinyl stores, updating them with a pint-glass accordion-and-fiddle two-step jigginess Jon Langford's merry men and women didn't perfect till 1983's English Dancing Master EP."[19] Rolling Stone noted that "the memorable, politically minded tunes are a testament to the band's bighearted collective spirit."[15] Robert Christgau determined that "one comparison is the eponymous hardcore album Rancid dropped in 2000 when ska felt played out, but this is sharper and more varied."[13]
AllMusic wrote that "there is a certain ramshackle grace in them that offers the ghostly hint of 1977's chaotic joy, but being played by people who no longer have the comfort of naivete as a cushion against the outside world."[12]
Track listing edit
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Teeth" | |
| 2. | "Corporal Chalkie" | |
| 3. | "I'm So Happy" | |
| 4. | "What" | |
| 5. | "32 Weeks" | |
| 6. | "Work All Week" | |
| 7. | "The Building" | |
| 8. | "Rosanne" | |
| 9. | "Trevira Trousers" | |
| 10. | "This Sporting Life" | |
| 11. | "Never Been in a Riot" | |
| 12. | "Lonely and Wet" | |
| 13. | "Fight the Cuts" | |
| 14. | "Chopper Squad" | |
| 15. | "Dan Dare" |
References edit
- ^ Terrell, Steve (6 Feb 2004). "The Mekons sweat to their own oldies". The Santa Fe New Mexican. p. P23.
- ^ Gilbertson, Jon M. (15 Apr 2004). "Artist better known for his music". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. p. 4E.
- ^ Aloi, Daniel (10 Mar 2004). "The Mekons rock 'n' roll". Star-Gazette. p. D1.
- ^ "CMJ Radio 150". CMJ New Music Monthly. No. 122. 2004. p. 49.
- ^ Guarino, Mark (23 Jan 2004). "Mekons, 'Punk Rock'". Time Out!. Daily Herald. Arlington Heights. p. 6.
- ^ Pareles, Jon (11 Jan 2004). "Mekons". The New York Times. p. 2.30.
- ^ Eells, Josh (22 Jan 2004). "Political Passion Powers the Mekons' 'Punk Rock'". Austin American-Statesman. p. 18.
- ^ Sullivan, Jim (11 Mar 2004). "From Punk to Twang and Back to Punk". The Boston Globe. p. CAL13.
- ^ Glennon, Sean (18 Mar 2004). "The curse of the Mekons". The Journal News. p. G29.
- ^ Jenkins, Mark (12 Mar 2004). "The Mekons 'Punk Rock'". The Washington Post. p. T7.
- ^ Hermes, Will (Feb 2004). "Reissues". Spin. Vol. 20, no. 2. p. 100.
- ^ a b "Punk Rock Review by Thom Jurek". AllMusic. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
- ^ a b "The Mekons". Robert Christgau. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
- ^ Larkin, Colin (2011). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Omnibus Press.
- ^ a b Hoard, Christian (Jan 22, 2004). "Also Released". Rolling Stone. No. 940. p. 70.
- ^ Ross, Curtis (13 Feb 2004). "Mekons Revisit Their 'Punk Rock' Origins". Friday Extra. The Tampa Tribune. p. 21.
- ^ Righi, Len (7 Feb 2004). "The Mekons 'Punk Rock'". The Morning Call. p. D6.
- ^ "Mekons Punk Rock". Chicago Tribune. 9 Feb 2004. p. 20.
- ^ Eddy, Chuck (3 Mar 2004). "Leeds punk inventors drive drunk in reverse". The Village Voice. Vol. 49, no. 9. p. C98.