1208

1208: Turn Of The ScrewTurn Of The Screw (2004)
Epitaph Records

Reviewer Rating: 3

User Rating:

Contributed by: adamAdam
(others by this writer | submit your own)
Published on February 10th 2004The accepted punk method of insulting bands nowadays is far from clever. All it takes is for one person to make a fairly obvious point, use it in a negative context, and repeat it ad nauseum. Case in point is the "sounds like Pennywise" stigma that 1208's been stuck with. Not that it's an unwarrante.

The accepted punk method of insulting bands nowadays is far from clever. All it takes is for one person to make a fairly obvious point, use it in a negative context, and repeat it ad nauseum. Case in point is the "sounds like Pennywise" stigma that 1208's been stuck with. Not that it's an unwarranted comparison: 1208 was not only spawned from the Californian skate punk scene but Pennywise guitarist Fletcher Dragge produced their previous record. However the urge to dwell on that connection has unfairly overshadowed what's become a tight and energetic band.

With the emphasis put on 1208's use of the mid 90s Epitaph sound, Turn of the Screw sounds surprisingly modern at times. The production's smoothed out many of the rough edges and songs like the album opening "My Loss" are clearly influenced by the recent trends in punk music. Alex Flynn's clean vocals sound far more comfortable in band's soaring melodic anthems then they to the more upbeat pop-punk songs. Musically Turn of the Screw is balanced between early Offspring and latter day Millencolin. While this was once an overcrowded playing field, it's increasingly rare to find young bands sticking with this style and that works to 1208's advantage.

I'm so tempted to chastise the band for a lack of vision. Generally they don't write the hooks needed to keep this style engaging. However the potential shown in the latter half of the album has me choosing my words wisely. "Not You" displays an increased level of angst set against a more muscular tune then the group's usual anthems. It's followed with "The Saint," a lush, acoustic, string-driven number. The album's capped with the infectious Descendents-influenced title track in which the band captures the fun and energy that made 90s skate punk so popular.

1208 may be doomed to live with comments like "this is alright, but there's potential," however that sentiment's true here. Turn of the Screw's not the most engaging record of it's genre but shows the budding seeds of something better.

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Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not respon sible for them in any way. Seriously.

jeffernator (October 11, 2009)

Top ten in all time favorite albums. Love it.

dbug (February 24, 2009)

maybe one or two songs is more I can handle, it's too monotonous and heard before

Anonymous (November 16, 2004)

there are too many bands who're playing this kind of music.... so it's nothing special.... good musician but nothing special either

Anonymous (September 19, 2004)

fuck all you shit heads that think 1208 is a copy of pennywise there are so many fucking bands these days thats its impossible for new ones to not be called copys, so fuck you you fucking posers.

Anonymous (February 23, 2004)

I'm the one who wrote the secound last opinion... Yeah poopypants you talk out of my heart! Damn right!

poopypants (February 17, 2004)

i actually really like this. yea it sounds like pennywise/lagwagon/sum41 hybrid, but at least their influences arent so current trend and shit as say, bayside, spitalfield, fall out boy, story of the year, etc. i'd rather hear a mid 90's skate punk influenced band than just another thriceday/saves the day clone.

Anonymous (February 16, 2004)

1208 the same as Pennywise? Oh yes - buy more punk-records and come back later! Perhaps there are some tracks that sound a bit like Pennywise but punk bands do inspire each other! I alo hear Millencolin, NoUse and some others out of these tracks!
So I have to say this album is not a Milestone in Punk Music but its a good piece of work! Buy it - you won't regret it. (Don't listen to all this wannabe Punkrockers! For them a band must be older than 10 years to be good - they suck! - 1208 like Pennywise ts ts ts - funny!)

Anonymous (February 15, 2004)

I think the phrase "jump the shark" jumped the shark some time ago.

Anonymous (February 12, 2004)

sum 41 has more talent. no offense you can like 1208 better but they dont have more talent.

Anonymous (February 12, 2004)

This album fuckin rocks!
And this review sucks
Why couldnt they be as big as sum41 etc they have way more talent and a much better range of songs.
I was looking forward to it for some time due to the previous album being so good.
Deviates are on hold.
Brian still wants to do it but the other band members 'aint so up for it.
At the recent 98 mute reunion show brian told some one that they 'might possibly' do soemthing.

jeff024punk (February 12, 2004)

1208 is like the address number of a house all the dudes in the band rented when they started or something of that nature.. and the deviates are missing in action i guess. there website is gone and no mention of them. so who knows

Anonymous (February 12, 2004)

Someone said "Deviates........they will be missed."

When did the Deviates break up? I loved those guys!

FortyMinutesWest (February 11, 2004)

I don't live in Greensburg, but yeah, it's a wasteland.

SKArmyofme (February 11, 2004)

Its not that Ive been working in a cd store too long, its that Im sick of people bitching about every little thing that they can, the majority just to draw attention to themselves. It seems that 90% of the posts on this site are by people just looking to piss everyone else off...its kind of pathetic. Is there really nothing better to do with your time than to piss people off in a message forum?

Anonymous (February 11, 2004)

yea but who wants to live in greensburg anyway? zing!

FortyMinutesWest (February 11, 2004)

CD Warehouse in Greensburg has a lot of good stuff, if you're willing to look. I've found Fugazi, In My Eyes, Farside, Employer Employee, Agent Orange, and Husker Du.

Anonymous (February 11, 2004)

yea i should go back to highschool, i remember showing the jocks how to skank at parties to buck o nine. skaarmyofme. keep carrying the torch dude bro. yo cd warehouse sux in pittsburgh, they don't carry shit. the dude asked why pennywise isnt cool, so i told him what everyone else would say. i own all they're albums, i wasnt shitting on them, i was just answering his question. go listen to some hepcat and cool out there mr. pessimism 'people do what they do blah blah blah'. you've been working in a cd store to long, i used to work in waves music, a cd store for a few years. it will do things to you.

SKArmyofme (February 11, 2004)

Once again, people seem to think their uneducated, biased opinions seem to matter. People are going to listen to what they want and do what they want no matter how much your criticize them. If you really want people to care about your bitching and what you think is cool then go back to high school where the drama actually matters.

Anonymous (February 11, 2004)

its not so much that pennywise isnt cool anymore dude bro, its just that their last album is pretty fucking weak adn land of the free was kinda weird. a little to much faux political awareness and shit. theyve been on a steady decline since full circle, which is one of my fav. albums of all time. but alot has happened in punk since they came along and they're starting to sound kinda played out. they never really changed their style, and like face toface, it was a rad style for about 4 albums, but then its like....ok, how many times am i gonna hear fletcher do a pick slide, how many of the songs are gonna have that "DAH ddddd DAh dddddd" drum beat intro, how many times do i have to hear jim go 'YEAAA YEAAA YEAAA" etc. etc. etc. its just gotten old. and when they play live , the whole "i wanna see you fuck shit up yo, this one is for your local police dept. mother fuckers, circle pitt!" thing is just getting creeepy considereing they;re well into their 30's now. wow. i just said alot.

Anonymous (February 11, 2004)

i think it's a number used as default on some clocks

Anonymous (February 11, 2004)

How come Pennywise isn't "cool" any longer?

Anonymous (February 11, 2004)

canada sucks just as much as old punk like this

Anonymous (February 11, 2004)

nofx break up psssssssssh yeah right they rule

mikeinflames (February 11, 2004)

"What does the name 1208 mean?"

It's reference to how many more albums they are going to release just to piss all the assclowns on this site off

mikeinflames (February 11, 2004)

honestly who cares what bands need to give it up?
if they want to keep on going let them keep on going cause i'm sure if they are still around that means they still have fans
and if the band keeps on making shitty records ... well who cares
they are the ones making themselves look like fucking asshats
what does it matter to you?

Anonymous (February 11, 2004)

bands that need to quit

1.queers
2.vandals
3.guttermouth
4.pennywise
5.maybe bad religeon
6nofx
7.goldfinger (not enough people mention these guys, their fucking old and they write pop punk and gave up ska punk...double shitty)
8.whatever the current incarnation the misfits are

Anonymous (February 11, 2004)

I thought this was the review for the new Blink 1208 record.
Yeah. I'm gonna re-name my band Blink 1208.
"---- changes their name to Blink 1208. They're fourth album will be out autumn 2004 on Fat Wreck Chords. " Sounds good.

This album is aight. Peep the peep!