Pennywise - Yesterdays

(CD Album Review)

****1/2

Another classic Sk8r Punk album from Pennywise!!!

Southern Californian Punk band Pennywise are back with their eleventh album 'Yesterdays' on the legendary label Epitaph Records, Which has been home to so many of my favourite bands over the years including Rancid, Bad Religion, The Offspring and even I am Ghost. You can see from the very start of the record that they magic is still their and it's coming at you fast. I love it when albums come in with Police radio or news reports and this one kicks straight in with that and then the awesome Sk8r Punk sound of 'What you Deserve' which is of a very high standard and very catchy.

You can tell that they came out of the scene as The Decendants, Green Day, Bad Religion and The Offspring and they are at the same high standards and have the underlining Classic Punk sound of the 70's mixed with the 90's sound of the Californian streets. Second track 'Restless Time' is a very short speedy track that is almost gone in the blink of the eye and is everything you want from a Pennywise track so doesn't disappoint. This song would be very cool to sing-a-long to but you have to be Speedy Gonzalas to keep up with how quick the Words are coming at you. They are witty and they have meaning and this is a good thing to come from a band that has been going for so long.

I really love the Punktastic track 'Noise Pollution' which has killer drums on and is again gone in a blink of an eye, Yes I don't think you have a long album for your money here but it's well put together and the music verges on so many styles and versions of Punk. 'Violence Neverending' is a song about making you see you will be blown away!!! think that is meant to be a good thing. I did think on this album they had taken influence from old bands in the genre like The Last Resort and Major Accident and the fifth track 'Am Oi!' shows that as the bands seem to pay homage to the Oi Punk genre. This song is simply brilliant and one of the best on the record, unlike 'Thanksgiving' didn't really stand out, but I think that is because of the two tracks it's stuck in between.

One of which is 'She's a Winner' which has great Clash sounding guitars at the beginning so when it kicks in, your already hooked. The bass line backs this up, so when it suddenly speeds up your already dancing round your room. The intro to 'Slow Down' is simply epic and the way it launches in is jaw dropping and I think the title track of this fast track is a message to themselves... because they must be tired going at this speed.

You do wonder why Green Day are so big and this band are not bigger than they are because they have never Sold Out!!! but consistantley released great music that is commersial but come from the heart. 'Public Defender' almost has Rock riffs in it but at the same time sounding a little bit like Indie Punk band Joyrider. 'No way Out' continues with the Indie Punk theme and is equally as good and leads it the album on nicely to the closer 'I can Remember' which makes you think of cruising down the sidewalks listening to your walkman near the beach in California. Something I have never done, might have done this in Blackpool does that count?.

If you love Punk this is an album you must have because it has everything you want... and sounds like the best Pennywise album you can own. So borrow the money to get it, Steal the money to get it, do anything you can to get it because this is an album you must have. By the way stealing is wrong and you will go to prison if you do it... but a few months for a album like this is worth the punishment.