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Bad Religion - New Maps of Hell (Deluxe)
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At the Warped Tour last year, I saw an obviously cooler-than-thou punk rock kid with a T-shirt that said: "Punks not dead, it just sucks now." (mispellings intact)

Now, while I initially wrote this guy off as one of those annoying dorks who can't seem to wrap his head around the fact that a genre of music evolves over, say, twenty-five years, I found a much stronger argument in the Methadones.

Released in March 18th on Stardumb Records of Rotterdam, who charmingly spell Punk Rock as one word, "Career Objective" is a testament to the fact that punk is neither dead, nor does it suck. You can probably guess what the basic sound is, considering the history of the members - it features members of Screeching Weasel, the Mopes, the Riverdales, and the Vindictives - which is to say, speedy, melodic three chord punk rock as pioneered by the Ramones.

Not as snotty as Screeching Weasel, nor as directly Ramones-influenced as the Riverdales, but definitely incorporating elements of Dan's past bands, Career Objective is not a revolutionary record, but it definitely showcases the evolution of punk over aforementioned decade and a half.

While this style of punk is fundamentally pretty repetitive - no one ever accused the Ramones of being different on every track - it can be done well. There are quite a few strong points on the record; "Say Goodbye to Your Generation" is pure classic pop, while "Far Away" and "You Don't Know Me Anymore" remind me a great deal of older Green Day, and some tracks like "TV World" are a very unique take on a classic formula.

Pop-punk in this vein has definitely been off the radar lately, with wonderful records like the Lillington's Backchannel Broadcast being ignored for the preponderance of sing-scream hardcore bands, but for those of you who still hold a candle for the classic style, this is definitely worth checking out.



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    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, June 11, 2006 at 2:46 PM (EDT)

    Hahah "methadone doesn't get you high". You've obviously never have tried it? So you're better off just being quiet, unless you'd rather look like a fool.

    Posted by thatswack on 2005-01-07 17:38:52
    My Score:

    The guy below me needs to chill out, why do "straight-edge" people have to name themselves that in the first place, a lot of people in the world don't do drugs, but they don't have to label and name themselves for it. Leave people alone for doing drugs, who gives a damn...I am just really tired of this "straight-edge" shit, with all your X's. OK we know you don't do drugs, my friend doesn't and he doesn't call himself straight-edge. Methadones are good.

    Posted by Anonymous on Monday, October 27, 2003 at 3:47 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    I live in Chicago and know these guys pretty well and while they stay away from drugsthese boys know how to kick back a few (well, let's just say A LOT!). Straight edge? That's like you saying you know something about music. Please go OD with your cool drugs, the world would be a bit better if retards like you didn't exist.

    Posted by Gary_Craptalk on 2003-06-05 11:24:35
    My Score:

    it's a good record. Anyone who says 3 chords sucks has just got too many emo records stuck up his ass.

    Posted by FortyMinutesWest on 2003-05-14 18:15:24
    My Score:

    Fakesmile, listen to Ill At Ease, some of the vocal harmonies totally mimic Bad Religion songs.

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, May 14, 2003 at 4:36 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    yea not doing drugs is real cool u fucking pussy. this band sux my cock. doing drugs and getting fucked up is fun, if these straight edge rehab pussys knew what was good for them they would have hung up their instruments years ago....i mean christ, do we need another fucking band with members of such moronic simple shitty 3 chord bands like the riverdales and screeching weasel? yea don't go to the party tonight riverdales u fucking dorks. go have a straight edge good time and 'save punk rock' like all these shitty talentless annoying bands want to do. leather jackets and shitty voices , 3 chords, bam! we got us a shitty band

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, May 13, 2003 at 3:23 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    Dan the lead singer along with band members are totally against drugs. They don't even smoke weed. They think that's what hippies do. So The Methadones is a perfectly fine name for them stupid fuck

    Posted by fakesmile on 2003-05-13 07:08:38
    My Score:

    anyone who compares this band to bad religion are total asswipes...

    great band, great label..

    Posted by Anonymous on Monday, May 12, 2003 at 7:58 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    It's very safe to say the poster below has NEVER heard this band...

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, May 11, 2003 at 5:55 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    then again they're probably just a bunch of stupid ass punks who thought it sounded funny. and if they sound like bad religion, wow thats so original, not like they've been ripped off a million times already in the past 15 years. chirst, isnt pennywise enough?

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, May 11, 2003 at 5:52 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    i wonder if these dorks realize they named their band after a drug that doesnt even get you high. i work in a methadone clinic, mehtadone blocks the withdrawl effects of heroin so u can funtion normally. great for addicts. totally lame band name. they should call themselves aspirin, it would be just as cool

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, May 9, 2003 at 4:33 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    Thanks for reviewing this! The Methadones are a great band and highly underrated. This is what real punk-pop is all about...could teach A LOT of people a thing or two...
    -Janelle

    Posted by TheBouncingSoul on 2003-05-09 15:49:23
    My Score:

    "Their last CD reminded me alot of Bad Religion, haven't heard this one yet."

    thats exactly what i thought...either way, the methadones are quality

    Posted by FortyMinutesWest on 2003-05-09 15:32:06
    My Score:

    Their last CD reminded me alot of Bad Religion, haven't heard this one yet.

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, May 9, 2003 at 2:51 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    Some of the guitar licks on this album rock my ass SO hard.

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, May 9, 2003 at 1:52 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    out July 15th in the U.S.A on THICK RECORDS
    http://www.thickrecords.com