It seems to me that Social Distortion are one of those bands. You know, one of those bands that either you love, or you've never heard of them. It's hard to have anything but respect for these guys. Enduring many rehab and jail stints, hiatuses, and the death of co-founding member Dennis Danell in 2000, the band continues on with frontman Mike Ness as the only remaining original member. One thing I will say about Social Distortion is that they are consistent. Although, they damn well better be with the amount of time it takes them to release an album. With their output being so solid, paired with how infrequent it's actually released, the unveiling of a new Social Distortion record has come to be a monumental occasion in the world of punk rock. Except it would be entirely unfair to strictly associate the band with the punk rock scene alone. Although credited with helping kickstart the L.A. punk scene in the early 80's with peers Youth Brigade and X, they have long since established themselves as a rock and roll tour de force. Their 1983 debut, Mommy's Little Monster was a seminal punk landmark, which along with debuts by Black Flag and Minor Threat, helped mold the landscape for 80's hardcore and drive punk rock back into the underground. (For the time being, at least). Never ones to follow any kind of musical trends, their 1988 album Prison Bound found the band driving a stake into the ground of a new sound altogether. Well, if not a new sound, at least a new blend of familiar ones. Like no one else before them, Mike Ness and group began running a thread of country and rockabilly tones through their already established punk rock bombast. Perhaps becoming complacent with Reagan-era punk rock in the late 80's, Ness re-discovered his roots in sounds influenced by the Rolling Stones, Hank Williams and Wanda Jackson. Albums to follow, such as their 1990's self-titled, and 1992's Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell were classic collections of hard luck ballads and rock and roll love songs that sounded like they should have come complete with a leather jacket, switchblade and self-tattooing kit. By the time Green Day was about to re-introduce punk rock to the disaffected, post-grunge youth and blow it wide open into the mainstream, Social Distortion had already forged their own brand of roots-fueled punk that created the ideal soundtrack for whiskey-soaked heartbreak, redemption, and wide eyed rebellion.
The latest from Social D's catalog gives us Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes. This is the long anticipated follow up to 2004's near masterpiece: Sex, Love and Rock 'n Roll. Was it worth the wait? One look at the track listing alone gives us an idea that we are already treading into familiar and comfortable territory. The songs prove this is mostly the case indeed, albeit with a couple of surprises. I was immediately taken in with the album's first proper track, "California (Hustle and Flow)". The song is driven by a dirty blues shuffle, and carries into a soulful Stones-esque chorus complete with female gospel singers on backup. There are a few classic sounding gems, such as "Diamond In The Rough" and "Machine Gun Blues" built on the tried and true formula of driving power chords, soulful melodies and Ness's trademark gruff vocal delivery. What I like most about this record is the heavier emphasis on harmony vocals, which have been present in the past but not near as prominent. Case and point is the chorus on the heart-wrenching ballad "Bakersfield" that sweeps you in with densely layered harmonies cutting through the mix. The album is mostly good. There are plenty of driving rhythms, sincere melodies and swaggering punkabilly. Except I do have a few gripes. One of my favourite things about Social D in the past, has been Ness's painfully honest and poignant lyrics. Classic tracks such as "Ball and Chain" and "When The Angels Sing" were highlighted with simple, yet deep and impassioned lyrics that could speak to the downtrodden vagabond soul. On this album, they straddle the line between poignant and trite. It almost seems that Ness is so arrogant as to not bother really trying anymore. In the past he's been able capture the true essence of the sensitive rock and roll rebel who's down on his luck, with pained and confessional lyrics that anybody with a whiskey buzz and life of regret can relate to. Unfortunately, some of the lyrics here start to sound a bit tired and cliched. Also, the album's instrumental opener, "Road Zombie" is a pretty killer riff but sounds like an unfinished song. Had they added some lyrics and a chorus, it could have the the album's most rocking number.
Much has happened to the face of punk rock in the past decade or so. Since claiming widespread mainstream appeal in the mid-90's, the scene has become diluted to say the least. New sub-genres have emerged from the shadows. Emo. Screamo. Post-Hardcore. Pop-Punk bands have invaded pop radio and reality TV. The very ethic from which punk rock was born in the 1970's is completely lost on today's youth, and has become everything that punk was rebelling against in the first place. Social Distortion is one of those bands that have been around since the beginning, and have stayed true to their original vision. Amidst the chaos of trendy mallrat punks and mopey emo-kids, its refreshing that these guys are still around making music that conjures up images of hot rods and pin up girls, and makes you want to grease up your hair and take your bike out on the town.
www.socialdistortion.com
www.myspace.com/socialdistortion
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