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NOFX

Cokie the Clown (2009)
Fat Wreck Chords

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

Published on November 24th 2009

Let it not be said that NOFX was never a giving band. Just a scant seven months after releasing the solid full-length Coaster, the band is back with four new songs, plus an acoustic rendition of Coaster’s emotional highlight, “My Orphan Year.” Furthermore, the band is dishing out the songs on two different formats: one CD entitled Cokie the Clown, or two separately sold, variously colored, differently sequenced seven-inches named Cokie the Clown and My Orphan Year. Got it? This is America, dammit, the land of 43 kinds of peanut butter because you deserve it. Crunchiness and smoothness must be regulated at all times or morale will drop and the terrorists will smirk!

The Cokie the Clown seven-inch and CD both open with the title track, a lovely ditty about a fairly awful clown. It’s in the traditional NOFX punk rock vein with a circus music intro. Based on the lyrics -- “You all have been dosed / The kettle corn’s been laced / The fudge has been lined” -- Natalia Fabia’s terrifying/awesome cover captures the character’s spirit perfectly.

After that ditty, the vinyl and CD switch up track listings, so here’s a rundown on the CD version. “Straight Outta Massachusetts” is a super catchy 77-second song about moving from one U.S. coast to the other. “Fermented and Flailing” takes aim at the American populace that allowed their country, from its government to its corporations to its own citizens, to perform a few dozen atrocities. “Codependence Day” should be familiar to anyone who purchased the Warped Tour 2009 Tour Compilation.

An acoustic version of “My Orphan Year” closes out the CD, and it still hits hard. Fat Mike talks about losing both of his parents in 2006. It was a painful story about cancer, loving mothers and bad fathers on Coaster, and that goes double for the acoustic version. There’s no rocking to hide the loss of his mother, and his disdain for his father now sounds like it’s coming from a place of resignation rather than anger. Given that he wrote “My Vagina,” it’s sometimes too easy to forget that Fat Mike can write an emotionally hard-hitting tune too.

At 11 minutes, the CD goes by quickly. At this point, listeners should know what to expect from a NOFX release, and while Cokie the Clown won’t blow minds, it should please the faithful.

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NON_HEINOUS (March 15, 2011)

ppppprrrffnnntttt

kosalex (November 11, 2010)

Clown !!! Cokie is one of the best songs I've heard and i like the video for Cokie the clown too!

OfCourse (September 15, 2010)

I'll bet 17 shots of Fat Mike's Patron that you won't read a better analysis of the infamous Cokie The Clown debacle in Austin anywhere else: http://www.theinertia.com/music-art/nofx-fat-mike-banned-in-austi n/

cokietheclown (March 25, 2010)

I totally forgot to put "Drinking Pee" on this. I was too busy not stopping a rape.

longshot (February 11, 2010)

Every one chill out.
I got this the other day I can't stop listening to it. "Fermented and Flailing" is one of the best songs I've heard from these guys in a long time.
I liked Coaster. I love this. I love NOFX.

I feel there are only a handful of bands out that still have a lot of fun with their songs, write shit that is still mildly offensive and are actually good.

Look, NOFX isn't a band you look to for progression and re-inventions of the genre. I find it odd for anyone to say their more recent material is all that different from anything they've done in the past ten years. Shit, they even admit to it. They're a band that's dependably good, fun and rockin'. Spare me your breakdowns, emotions and musical ambitions.

chadreligion (November 27, 2009)

You know, I've always loved NOFX.... sure they've done alot of really bad stuff too, and some of that really bad stuff, I even have a nostalgic appreciation for, but this is a little pebble piece of shit that they crapped out just to get the songs out of the way and make some quick dough.

Shitty songs, not even really all that catchy, and bullshit lyrics.
This is the first time in a long time I can honestly say I don't like it and mean it.
Score is for the song and horrendous artwork of mike ugly face

thirtyseconds (November 26, 2009)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6HkkeSV2F4

I personally think this is great NOFX acoustic.

Whoever said "Fermented and Flailing" is like the first time they heard NOFX is so right on.

telegraphrocks (November 26, 2009)

I'd also go with "Scavenger Type" as best acoustic.

Also, did anyone notice that the version of "My Orphan Year" on here is from the MySpace sessions thing they did this past Spring? I felt kind of jipped by that... not to mention that the 7-inches together will cost ya like $10 or more.

hayman (November 26, 2009)

I love NOFX but could never be bothered with all the non album stuff.

woodprop (November 25, 2009)

Cokie is one of the best songs I've heard from NOFX in a while, even if the lyrics are a little... NOFXish.

Going with Scavenger Type for the best acoustic

LinoleumMagazine (November 25, 2009)

Agree that She's Gone is the saddest NOFX song.

I don't like the way Mike sings on the acoustic "My Orphan Year". It sounds like he's trying to sound shitty and flat.

bryanmatic (November 25, 2009)

Aside from "Scavenger Type," I'd like to say that the best acoustic song is "The Man I Killed" demo.

crackpotdemagogue (November 25, 2009)

the best nofx acoustic song has got to be "you're wrong" from the 7" series. that was a cracker. and the full band version was awesome too.

gloryhole100 (November 25, 2009)

saddest nofx song=she's gone

Dante3000 (November 25, 2009)

Cokie don't play that.
-Dante

Cos (November 25, 2009)

Where is this mythical land of 43 different kinds of peanut butter? Because I want to go to there!

half_head (November 25, 2009)

nofx can do no wrong. everything rules.

rosshostage (November 25, 2009)

I say that "Scavenger Type" is their best acoustic song, but "My Orphan Year" comes close. I'm really digging the EP. Can't wait 'til I get my vinyl!

savato (November 25, 2009)

Love NOFX. Loved Coaster. And the video for Cokie the Clown was hilarious.

friokir (November 25, 2009)

it's okay, but coaster was better. that acoustic version of my orphan year is pretty bad. yes, it's very emotional and the lyrics are good, but it had so much more "oomph" behind it with a full band on the background.

ak3punk (November 25, 2009)

Coaster has one stinker of a tune on it. Thats it. I love that album. Nofx has been solid since Pump up the Valium.(or the Decline whatever came first) This ep is great.

LooseKanonYankee (November 25, 2009)

better than coaster for sure

punker001 (November 25, 2009)

I really loved my orphan year on coaster. I dont know why but I really don't like the acoustic version on here. I was thinking when I heard the original that I would love to hear an acoustic version of the song but I just didn't like this!

telegraphrocks (November 25, 2009)

Decent.

PMAtill_imDOA (November 24, 2009)

the video for cokie the clown was pretty freakin funny.

dev (November 24, 2009)

Score is for juggalos.

bradc930 (November 24, 2009)

I love this EP. While I understand a lot of people's aversion to this band, they were one of the first bands that I seriously got into and I still like listening to them.

facetofacereunion08 (November 24, 2009)

Love cokie and fermented and failing. I think cokie is awesome. massachusetts is just ok

Everything_Went_Numb (November 24, 2009)

Aren't those the only two?

crankwilldestroy (November 24, 2009)

Fermented and Flailing is pretty awesome. Reminds me of the first time I heard Nofx.

damo (November 24, 2009)

it's good

skeetopunk01 (November 24, 2009)

This one is ok like the last few. I'm not really impressed though. Still love to see them live though.

almostpunkenough (November 24, 2009)

best acoustic NOFX song ever: "13 Stitches". "My Orphan Year" is close, though.