Misled Citizen

If I had to pick six words to describe this album they'd be "fucked up, in a good way." Fortunately, no one is holding me to six words, so I'll use more. I picked up this album at 2006's Warped Tour and, say what you might about Warped Tour, it is still a great place for up-and-coming bands to access listeners looking for something new. If I could find at least one band like Misled Citizen at Warped Tour every year, I'd go for the rest of my life.

The sound that MC has on this album is raw, mean, and unapologetic. In other words, it's exactly what punk rock is supposed to be. Tracks like "Go to Hell" and "Methamphetamine" are classic sounding punk tracks that bring old Rancid and Social Distortion albums to mind. The themes expressed in the tracks (arguing against all religions and exposing an entire society bent on death and destruction) might seem played out and like throwbacks to old-school punk, but MC attacks them with viciousness and originality that make them fun again. On the other hand, tracks like "Emo Boy" and "Screamin' for Peace" remind you that Misled Citizen is living in the here and now and is aware of issues that face punk kids today.

Perhaps the greatest part of Misled Citizen's music is that despite the obvious influences of older punk bands, MC manages to have a sound that is completely their own and completely fresh. The guitar work is great, the lyrics are smart and funny, and the whole package is just somehow so straightforward and offensive, that you can't help but like it.