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Bad Religion - New Maps of Hell (Deluxe)
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The Pietasters have been jumping from label to label for quite some time now. They released their best to date, Ooolooloo, reached their mainstream peak with Willis on Epitaph and made three other albums that spanned different types of styles. 2002’s Turbo showed a sign of things to come, while All Day takes on Turbo’s style and lowers the punk aspect and cranks up the soul. Being James Brown’s backup band has definitely helped craft their style, as apparent on this record.

The recording on this album is a little shoddy, but it gives that feeling of listening to big-holed 45s, the same kind of records that line the packaging of the CD. The album opens up with one of the best songs on the album, “Change My Ways,” and it would have fit perfectly on the radio back in the `60s. This is a great representation of the rest of the songs on this album. Things slow down with the next two tracks, both very good, then things pick up with the excellent “Triflin’,” which has a great horn line.

Things keep a steady pace over the next couple of tracks, all of which have a great mix of ska and soul. Then comes “Fozzy Pt.1.” This song is straight-up Motown. It is really well-written and recorded, giving it the signature Motown sound. The next track is interesting, as it is a cover of “Listen to Your Heart” by Tom Petty. The Pietasters give the song a dub rhythm and some excellent horns to make a rather good cover. The next track, entitled “So Long,” is a rock and roll type song, drawing influences from `60s British rock bands, complete with the odd, twangy guitar solos. Be careful -- this one may get stuck in your head for a while. The next song, “Ordinary,” takes this formula, slows things down and adds horns during the chorus. “Ordinary” stands out as one of my favorites on the album.

This album is a great throwback and has tons of replay value. It mixes soul, ska, motown and rock just right to make an amazing album. It even throws in some instrumentals, “Sketch Dub” and “Anj Gil,” for good measure. I cannot express how good this album is. It even pays tribute to the great Oolooloo by naming a song after it. I definitely recommend picking this up as soon as possible from Indication Records, the label the Pietasters started up recently.



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    Posted by cort on 2007-09-17 18:06:42

    i have yet to listen to this. hopefully its good. i personally found awesome mix tape to be their best. i guess i like the hellcat stuff better than the early stuff.

    Posted by internetsanta on 2007-09-15 02:18:17
    My Score:

    great band

    ron paul 08

    Posted by booker_pee on 2007-09-14 13:56:15
    My Score:

    real, real solid.

    Posted by jacknife737 on 2007-09-14 13:04:10

    These guys are good, but its not like they're brining sexyback or anything.

    Posted by travisdork on 2007-09-14 12:58:08
    My Score:

    "They released their best to date, Ooolooloo, reached their mainstream peak with Willis on Epitaph and made three other albums that spanned different types of styles."

    oolooloo was a great record, but to say a record they released in 1995 was their best to date is kind of shitty. I've personally liked all thier albums, although "awesome mix tape" was a bit of a disappointment. Turbo was a great record, save for a few casio demo ska songs.
    This album is full of amazing soul (northern and motown), reggae, ska and dub. i think this is definitely their best album to date. the pietasters have always shown soul influences and studio one reggae influences, but they have never emulated them and paid respect to them like they did with this album.

    "The recording on this album is a little shoddy, but it gives that feeling of listening to big-holed 45s, the same kind of records that line the packaging of the CD."

    i thought the recording on this one was superb. they captured all of their influences not only in style, but in production as well. they seriously made the perfect tribute record in a way.

    And whatever that comment said about being disappointed because he was "expecting a punkier influenced record", a punk influenced record? the pietasters do have some punk influences, but when have they ever thrown punk into their albums. most of the time when people say they have a punk sound they are referring to some rougher soul tunes, or 60's garage rock.
    haha this album is damn-near perfect! plop

    Posted by baseball on 2007-09-14 10:42:15
    My Score:

    the amount of great ska/soul/reggae/ska-punk influenced releases this year is amazing

    this album's damn near perfect...love the artwork on the inside and this was less than $10 at the record store, go pick it up, you won't be disappointed

    the production is perfect for the sound they went for on here

    the vocal hook in "Ordinary" reminds me of a Face to Face song, i think it was on the album where the guy is looking in the mirror

    Posted by skankin_in_the_pit on 2007-09-14 09:38:30

    "I was kind of hoping for at least a bit of punky influence on this one, but it's still rock solid, as all of their releases have been."

    Pretty much my thoughts, although I really wasn't expecting much punk influence. It's still very good.

    Posted by SumWon on 2007-09-14 09:02:54

    Damn, I just submitted a review for this. Their best since Oolooloo.

    Posted by Oldpunkerforever on 2007-09-14 07:43:20
    My Score:

    hands down the pietasters best work-oldpunker-

    Posted by AphasiacIIC on 2007-09-14 01:40:15

    for some reason i assumed them to be your typical 3rd-wave ska band (aka they suck) but i checked out this album and i was wrong. i love my ska to have soul-- they remind me of a ska version of the aggrolites almost

    Posted by telegraphrocks on 2007-09-14 01:08:54

    Best Pietasters song:

    Crazy Monkey Woman!

    It's weird, yeah, but it's fuckin' F-U-N!!!

    Posted by 86themike on 2007-09-14 00:39:48

    i like this record...best tracks are "Change My Ways" and possibly the best Pietasters song "Don't Wanna Know"

    i like the recording style....i agree that it gives it an old 7 inch sound. But still, some songs get kinda of repetive. Overall a good release.

    Posted by skaboom on 2007-09-14 00:31:52
    My Score:

    I was kind of hoping for at least a bit of punky influence on this one, but it's still rock solid, as all of their releases have been.

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