Punknews.orgPunknews.org Logo
Review Navigator

BackForward

Features

 

Contests

 


Reviews



Pop-punk has gotten a bad name throughout the last decade as many of the bands within that genre have flooded MTV and the airwaves. However, the Descendents represent to me what pop-punk should sound like. As one of the most influential bands of all time, I find it hard-pressed to find a Descendents song that is lacking in quality and substance...except, perhaps, the notorious "Orgofart" from Enjoy!.

All would be the last Descendents album before their nearly decade-long hiatus (although you could argue that they technically did not go on a hiatus, since All is essentially the same band, just with a different singer). It was the followup to Enjoy!, an album that received just an average review from this site late last year. While I personally think that Enjoy! was one of their best efforts, many at the time of the release were unhappy with it, and when the Descendents wrote All, it appears the band recognized that.

This album is unique in a number of ways, the most obvious being that it was the first with Karl Alvarez on bass and Stephen Egerton on guitar, both of whom wrote a significant amount of songs on this record. The musicianship on this album is far superior to previous efforts, and several songs boast relatively elaborate and unique lead guitar parts.

This album is also the Descendents' most mature effort to date, as the subject matter is more serious and dark, with the exception of "Van" and "All-O-Gistics." The Descendents have also slowed it down a bit on this record; you don't hear any songs in the likes of "Kids" or any of the material on Milo Goes to College.

The album starts out with a bang, with Milo yelling out "ALL" and Bill Stevenson leading with a frantic drum intro into "Coolidge," a song that is truly classic Descendents: Lighthearted, catchy, mid-tempo pop-punk.

This is followed by "No, All!" (if you want to know the meaning behind ALL, check out their website, I don't feel like explaining it right now) and "Van," one of the few ridiculous songs on the record. Egerton's guitar contribution to this song is brilliant, and the lyrics are silly but hilarious ("Here in my van, I can beat my small cock and fart on your face"). This song will make you want to move out of your apartment (or, if you're like a lot of the people who post here, your mom's basement) and into a shitty van, where you can achieve ALL and live life to the fullest.

From here on out, the record becomes more serious, with songs such as "Impressions," "Iceman," and the CD-only track "Jealous of the World." These tracks take a while to grow on you, and are quite different from the traditional Descendents songs, slower and possibly a bit depressing.

But almost in an effort to remind us that they still know how to have fun and write bizarre, goofy songs, the song "All-O-Gistics" comes on, with instructions on how to achieve ALL, which include "Thou shalt not commit laundry" and "He who bears the most gas, let him also bear forth his ass." Some will find this song so stupid that they can't listen to it, but if you have that kind of attitude, then you shouldn't be listening to this band in the first place. The Descendents then wrap up the album with another darker song in "Schizophrenia" that spans nearly seven minutes.

Overall, this is not my favorite Descendents album, but considering the fact that I'm in love with all of their albums, that's not a bad thing. This album is slightly experimental, and the end result is definitely positive.



People who liked this also liked:
Descendents - Milo Goes To CollegeDescendents - Everything SucksRefused - The Shape of Punk to ComeDescendents - I Don't Want to Grow UpFugazi - 13 SongsDillinger Four - Situationist ComedyThe Lawrence Arms - The Greatest Story Ever ToldThe Clash - London CallingDescendents - Cool To Be YouKid Dynamite - Kid Dynamite



Please login or register to post comments.
What are the benefits of having a Punknews.org account?
  • Share your opinion by posting comments on the stories that interest you
  • Rate music and bands and help shape the weekly top ten
  • Let Punknews.org use your ratings to help you find bands and albums you might like
  • Customize features on the site to get the news the way you want.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, January 31, 2006 at 9:31 PM (EST)

    It's a fucking great record. I was super stoked when I picked it up. I agree that it's not there greatest record. But still awesome. My favorite bunch of nerds!

    Posted by Staxic on 2006-01-19 20:41:47
    My Score:

    I don't wanna grow up!

    Posted by housewrecker on 2006-01-19 09:54:27

    I must say that not mentioning Pep and Clean Sheets bums me out; those two and Coolidge are the high points of this album. (In my humble opinion). All-O-Gistics are cool to read, but not as funny by the second listen. And for the record: ALL IS NOT A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT BAND THAN DESCENDENTS!!!! When they write songs, they write a song and then later decide whether it will be on a Descendents or an All record.

    I agree with what people say about Allroy's Revenge.

    Thou shall not commit laundry.

    Posted by SlackMFr on 2006-01-17 21:03:41
    My Score:

    TheCaptain is a wanker. The Descendents are fucking great! Go suck the frosting out of a flesh twinkie you toad!

    Posted by rkl on 2006-01-17 12:40:02

    oh shit i made a spelling error. ill blame the alcohol. its still the worst descendants album, and all is still a completely different band.
    but hey lets all go crazy about spelling and ignore actual points, grammar is punxrox.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, January 17, 2006 at 12:37 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    All!

    Posted by thecaptain on 2006-01-17 00:56:39

    Descendents = most overrated punk band ever?

    Posted by mustard on 2006-01-16 16:40:35

    rkl did get one thing right...this is the worst descendents album. it started off good and then it just got too weird.

    Posted by Anonymous on Monday, January 16, 2006 at 2:12 PM (EST)

    rkl can be such a pompous prick sometimes.

    Posted by Anonymous on Monday, January 16, 2006 at 1:33 PM (EST)

    "RKL-You're an idiot. Don't tell someone to do their homework and then go on to spell Descendents with an A. Anyone that is a true Descendents fan knows they spell it with an E. BIG IDIOT."

    True that. Once you get past the spelling, you'll also realize that it's not THE Descendents either.

    Posted by Anonymous on Monday, January 16, 2006 at 10:17 AM (EST)

    "obviously not heard milo goes to college"

    why? is milo goes to college worse to you? personally that and "everything sucks" are my favs.

    Posted by BrandonSideleau on 2006-01-16 10:07:52

    All Descendents albums are great......the best is "Milo" but they all have greater strengths than weaknesses. I'm surprised "Enjoy!" has been blasted so much......that album's great!

    Posted by fistchode on 2006-01-16 04:48:50

    I've been listening to "I Don't Wanna Grow Up" more than "Milo Goes to College" recently.

    ....

    I don't think I've listened to "All" more than 2 or 3 times. Didn't do it for me besides Coolige, and I think I like the Millencollin version better of that song.

    Posted by Anonymous on Monday, January 16, 2006 at 12:34 AM (EST)

    "check ya spelling ya thick get"

    Talk about irony.

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, January 15, 2006 at 9:09 PM (EST)

    "anyhow, retarted."

    oooh the irony. check ya spelling ya thick get

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, January 15, 2006 at 4:06 PM (EST)

    "this album isn't the best, but it's definately better than enjoy! and a tie with cool to be you."

    obviously not herd milo goes to college

    Posted by Godfather on 2006-01-15 14:12:30
    My Score:

    the only descendents albums i still listen to are milo goes to college and cool to be you

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, January 15, 2006 at 1:51 PM (EST)

    "i found the demos for the EVERYTHING SUCKS sessions online..the ones where all the songs are sung by Chad Price."

    LINK!!!!

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, January 15, 2006 at 1:50 PM (EST)

    "I'd check out their site if you had provided link, dipshit.

    This album has nothing on everything before it.

    -Will"

    i vote for will as being the site's biggest asshole, as well as biggest "holier-than-though/i know everything/my opinion is fact" jackass.

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, January 15, 2006 at 1:08 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    this album isn't the best, but it's definately better than enjoy! and a tie with cool to be you.

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, January 15, 2006 at 1:08 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    Best. Descendents. Album. Ever.

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, January 15, 2006 at 12:55 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    i found the demos for the EVERYTHING SUCKS sessions online..the ones where all the songs are sung by Chad Price. I think the message in those songs (including the several that never made records) is fuck this hardcore/emo/staccato/breakdown/wereoriginal shit....because all of that harsh anger fused with pop and sick guitars is completely borrowed from ALL.

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, January 15, 2006 at 12:41 PM (EST)

    still waiting on those two ALL records...you know, to be released summer of 2003.

    Posted by fallingupwards84 on 2006-01-15 12:24:35

    I'm biased towards the Descendents as well, but if you listen to both the Descendents and ALL objectively, ALL is the better band musically.

    And to the person who asked why is someone reviewing this album - once a week, this site reviews classic albums that have not been reviewed yet. This was the last Descendents album that needed to be reviewed.

    Posted by lushj on 2006-01-15 12:10:37
    My Score:

    Yuck. "Clean Sheets" is the only decent song. I'm biased because my teenage self blamed All for breaking up the Desecendents (one of the best bands in the world) so I had to hate this record (I didn't say my bias was logical). Have never given this album a real chance, but since nothing All did interested me, I think I'd still not like this one. Maybe their worst studio album, besides "Cool To Be You".

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, January 15, 2006 at 11:28 AM (EST)

    yeah i cant believe you wouldnt mention the two best songs on the record, pep talk and fucking clean sheets!

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, January 15, 2006 at 11:27 AM (EST)

    why review this record?? if you haven't heard it by now,
    you obviously have problems.
    anyhow, retarted.

    Posted by kingofpain on 2006-01-15 11:04:07

    No, ALL!

    Posted by ElVaquero on 2006-01-15 09:49:44

    All!

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, January 15, 2006 at 5:50 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    Somery did not include "Pep Talk"...so that's why I have this album.

    "Pep Talk" means a lot more to me now than it did back in 2003, before the recall election.

    Cruz Bustamante
    Lieutenant Governor
    State of California

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, January 15, 2006 at 4:55 AM (EST)

    Can We Please Get a Strokes Review that bashes the shit out of that crap rather sooner than later.

    Posted by the_other_scott on 2006-01-15 03:59:24

    no all!

    Posted by TheOneTrueBill on 2006-01-15 02:23:52

    I honestly don't like this album that much. I like Coolidge, Van, and Pep Talk, and that's about it.

    Posted by fallingupwards84 on 2006-01-15 01:59:29

    "you're leaving out clean sheets and pep-talk...two amazing songs"

    those two songs are good, but honestly, they never stood out to me as much as some of the others

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, January 15, 2006 at 1:52 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    you're leaving out clean sheets and pep-talk...two amazing songs

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, January 15, 2006 at 1:48 AM (EST)

    That last comment was from me, Zack, by the way. You big idiot.

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, January 15, 2006 at 1:48 AM (EST)

    Allroys Revenge! Mary, she's my ex, and hot rod lincoln, oh man, that takes me back 10 years. when I first bought that cd. Great cd.

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, January 15, 2006 at 1:48 AM (EST)

    RKL-You're an idiot. Don't tell someone to do their homework and then go on to spell Descendents with an A. Anyone that is a true Descendents fan knows they spell it with an E. BIG IDIOT.

    Posted by fallingupwards84 on 2006-01-15 01:33:09

    "I'd check out their site if you had provided link, dipshit."

    I guess you're not intelligent enough to just look it up on Google? It would take you all but 10 seconds.

    Posted by rkl on 2006-01-15 01:31:17
    My Score:

    i like them boht, but all is definitely a different band than the descendants. much more aggressive.. you should do your homework.
    also, this is the worst descendants album

    Posted by SalsaShark on 2006-01-15 01:29:39
    My Score:

    Not one fucking word about "Pep Talk," my second favorite Descendents song, in here. Score is for that.

    Otherwise, good review.

    I love the Descendents so.

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, January 15, 2006 at 1:27 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    it's not their best, but it's decent.

    allroy's revenge still owns everything else both bands did, i don't give a fuck what anyone says. that album is absolutely gold and most people who are down on ALL (tha band) haven't even heard it, or at least given it much of a chance.

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, January 15, 2006 at 1:16 AM (EST)

    I'd check out their site if you had provided link, dipshit.

    This album has nothing on everything before it.

    -Will

    Posted by AlmostPunkEnough on 2006-01-15 01:05:59
    My Score:

    it's not "I Don't Wanna Grow Up", but what is? still really fucking good.

    © 1999-2006 Punknews.org • Terms of Use • Privacy • About • ISSN 1710-5366 • RSS RSS Icon