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| Good RiddanceOperation Phoenix1999 Fat Wreck Chords 
 Review by: Ken See others by this writer Fat Wreck Chords (link) Only registered users can post comments 
 
Published on June 19th 2001
Sure it has been a little over two years since "Operation Phoenix" first hit the shelves of record stores everywhere (well at least independent record stores) but I figure with the upcoming release of "Symptoms of a Leveling Spirit" now is as good as time as ever to give a review of Good Riddance's most recent full length. This is simply put, in my opinion a must have for anyone who considers themselves a fan of hardcore punk rock. The album kicks off with a short exerpt from a Martin Luther King Jr. speech and then blasts straight into "Shadows of Defeat". For the next half an hour, give or take, this album proceeds to rock you like only Good Riddance can. This album has everything from melodic style punk to straight up bruising hardcore. Russ' deeply personal lyrics in songs like "The Hardest Part", "Self-Fulfilling Catastrophe", and "Letters Home" are simply amazing. Topics range from lost love to depression and feelings of alienation, to political views and several of the songs deal with the horrors and atrocities of War. They even throw in a cover of Batallion of Saints "Second Coming" and the secret track is a cover of "My War" by Black Flag. Is it just me or does Russ' voice sound alot like Henry Rollins on this track? It's sort of scary. Even though this album is over two years old I still listen to it constantly and I can only hope that their upcoming release gets even better. If you like hardcore or good fast melodic punk rock, then I strongly urge you to go out and grab this cd. People who liked this also liked:           Please login or register to post comments. What are the benefits of having a Punknews.org account?
Great stuff. Probably their most hardcore album. maybe the best von GR buth the last show in zurich(switzerland) sucked!! This album is one of my all-time favorites, a good mix of straight-up hardcore, and the more personal, melodic stuff GR do really well but don't get alot of credit for. They do seem to jump around styles in general, but that's kinda the charm of their albums, IMHO. Only bad thing; why is the "My War" cover so far after the last song? It takes a while even fast-forwarding the CD, which I loath to do... God, I like Good Riddance. Nice review by the way. My personal favourite off this cd was Self-fulfilling catastrophe. I also like letters home. The ending track was cool.. I forget what it was called, I can never really remember the names of songs when I have the cd. Oh well. Its a good one. Only Good Riddance I cared to buy. Best Good Riddance hands down. One of the few albums I would actually give a 10. Great album not as good as there previous 3 but its still good, shadows of defeat is a great song. Also i dont know where they sound like nofx but if some think so ok. This isnt good riddances best work but it is still good. if the new album is so great and everyone's heard it, where's the review?- fathead I really like this album, I don't reallt like how songs after 5 track are arranged, like 2 slow songs, and then 6 fast one after another...but anyoway's the music is good, the lyrics are great but still Ballads from the revolution had more variety and is still their best stuff... Sorry to say it, but nhis is an absolutely horrible album. why do all the bands on Fat sound like NOFX but with different singers and the occasional "hard" sounding nofx music? only 2 or 3 bands on fat dont sound like nofx and they are Anti-Flag and Less Than Jake sorry but they still sound like Nofx and have that "heavier" nofx sound I don't think this album was "contrived" at all. It is harder than earlier GR recordings but this if for the good...Utterly amazing, one of my very favourite disks...a this album seemed really contrived to me, like GR was trying waaaay too hard to be really hardcore and political. The production is amazing, though, and that almost salvages it :) Yeah, the new Good Riddance album is fucking great =) This was a fucking amazing album. Thats all I can really say about it. i used to like comprehensive guide best...but the hardcorer style of phoenix has won. this album isn't as good as 'for god..' and 'comprehensive', but it still rocks hard. i heard their new song at the fat site and it's pretty damn good too.- fathead damn good album....its become my fave riddace release in recent months...the new stuff will be poppier. |
