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Nicotine

Session (2005)
Asian Man Records

Reviewer Rating:

Contributed by: William_David
(others by this writer | submit your own)

Published on November 29th 2005

If I could define this album in one word, it would be knuperclunk, which I’m pretty sure isn’t a real word in any language. However, if I were to define it, knuperclunk would mean brilliant, massive emulation.

When I first listened to this, Session, I was really turned off by how cheesy I found a few of the lines to be. There wasn’t anything as bad as “I don’t believe in fairy tales, and no one wants to go to hell” (Avenged Sevenfold - "Beast and the Harlot"), but there were lines like:

I met you one day, it was a fine day / I felt it was my fate to be your boyfriend / It was my birthday / It was the best day of my life

-- from “The Tree of the Sun”

However, I have to cut the band some slack, as they can speak multiple languages, and so what they do is quite an achievement. On the other hand, I always thought they should just sing in Japanese, but they have decided to go with English, which they aren’t yet perfect in singing. Once again, you can’t take much away from them, for the accomplishment is greater than the mistakes.

What is really amazing about the album is how many other bands you can hear in their sound. They focus on pop-punk, and throughout the album I was reminded of Blink-182, New Found Glory, and the Offspring, among many others. NFG members Ian Grushka and Steve Klein even make guest appearances on the last track, "Enjoy Punk Rock."

Completely copying a genre would be boring and place them in the category of generic, but this isn’t the case. Shakespeare’s stories were mostly made up of previous folk tales, but combined with his brilliance for language, he made them his own. On top of this, they were laden with literary allusions. While Nicotine isn’t the Shakespeare of pop-punk, the concept applies to their music. Their songs play off familiar punk themes, and will make you remember many other acts along the journey.

One thing they seemed to have missed in imitating their favorite punks is the length. Most fast punk rock songs tend to be short, but Nicotine has a few songs that come near and go over the four-minute mark. There is nothing wrong with a four-minute song, but there are a few points where (while good) the song “Twilight” should have ended. The same goes for “Sally Is 13,” which is around four and a half, but really doesn’t have a lot of lyrics compared to others on the album.

Yet, you can’t help get the feeling after listening to the album that Nicotine has actually studied punk rock. They are just as much fans of the genre as they are part of it, and it is clear that they love what they are doing. They celebrate positive punk rock in the opening intro/mini-anthem “Rock You All,” continue the theme later with “Punk Rock Radio,” and finish the album with the previously mentioned “Enjoy Punk Rock.” For the number of flaws this album may have, in the end, it really is a fun album.

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Anonymous (December 6, 2005)

Nicotine doesn't start in 97 asshole ,,, they was start in 93 and all the people here in this Forum sucks xD WEBONES, KOJUD@S, HIJOS DE LA GRAN ZORRA, BLAOo00o0o ... peace

Anonymous (December 6, 2005)

Nicotine kick ass

Anonymous (December 6, 2005)

This is not the best album of Nicotine ... for me the best album is Addictive shot and if you don't like Nicotine, VETE A LA KTM!!

Anonymous (December 1, 2005)

Don't sit next to me...just because I'm asian.

givemeamuseumandillfillit (December 1, 2005)

Sweet. I just remember loving a song called "black flies", does anybody remember that song? sweet song.

BlaquacadetZstyles (November 30, 2005)

Score is for post Street Figter II Turbo E-Honda.

Anonymous (November 29, 2005)

Eh, I've seen Nicotine live before and they where pretty cool. Then I bought an album of thiers and it was pretty fucking annoying. These guys' records have waaay to slick of production for punk rock, to the point of just being cheesey like an 80's hair metal band. Plus the lyrics are stupid. Not funny. Just stupid. I can't imagine this being any good.

branden (November 29, 2005)

this cd is only ok. i got the japanese version off ebay for a dollar and it has way better artwork

pretty much nicotines main problems are

a. the songs are waaaaaay too long, especially for punk rock. everything is like 4 minutes long

and

b. their english, or maybe i should say lyrics have gotten considerably worse, they used to write some pretty funny lyrics about shark attacks and punk ass brothers and stuff

i dunno,theyre still alright, id just get school of liberty though. youd be more of a motherfucking punk rock.

hubitcherkokov (November 29, 2005)

I liked that song off of the "10 Minutes" Asian Man video compiliation. Speaking of, anyone know when that and the live Slapstick are coming out on DVD?

glsco (November 29, 2005)

This is a great, fun album. The Japanese pressing (which has no sign of any woodblock printing - the American cover is a gimmick and replaces a somewhat hot girl in a short skirt in an abandoned warehouse) includes a DVD with all the bands videos to date, and there are a lot, and also includes a making-of for both this album and the video for Twilight. Anyone know if the Asian Man release includes this?

superdude (November 29, 2005)

This review was pretty good, but here's how I would make it better:

1. Are these guys sponsored by Marlboro?

2. And to the guy below me, I don't think NOFX are Japanese

Crookedsuperhero (November 29, 2005)

Japanese NOFX.

Unneeded.

Anonymous (November 29, 2005)

Good to see I wasnt the only one who enjoyed School of Liberty. That's all Ive heard from them though.

Lapse (November 29, 2005)

score is for Nicotine in general

Anonymous (November 29, 2005)

mmmm chease...

Not-To-Regret

PS: don't make fun of ASAINS

ElVaquero (November 29, 2005)

Nicotine has been going since before 97 so I don't think it's fair to base this review completely on them being imitators. That said, this band is completely awful. Their Beatles tribute album was funny for one minute and deleted sometime in the second minute.

Anonymous (November 29, 2005)

I haven't heard this but I loved School of Liberty some songs tore shit up. And those that didn't tear shit up were so fun you bounced around to them like a retard.
Fun band.
BUT THEIR ASAIN! What a gimmick.
-Dante

Godfather (November 29, 2005)

score is for dr. evil

Anonymous (November 29, 2005)

you know, i'm not making fun of nicotine for that line, cause i think nicotine is fun, but it is by far cheasier than that avenged line. and i dont even like avenged

psychoos231 (November 29, 2005)

Score is for that E.Honda pic on the cover