OFF!

Learn to Obey [7-inch] (2014)

Ricky Frankel

OFF! have given their fans and vinyl enthusiasts a wonderful gift for Record Store Day 2014 and that gift is the Learn to Obey EP. Not only does it have two absolutely killer tracks, but even renowned street artist Shepard Fairey made the album art for this EP. The title track, which you can stream here, was apparently inspired by the cover art. It has to be one of OFF!'s most hard-hitting tracks that the band has come out with so far. "Learn to Obey" has OFF!'s classic speed and some very well-worked dissonance in the chorus. Of course, Keith Morris and the rest of the band are awesome on this track, but Dimitri Coats's guitar work is especially great here. This song has probably one of the best guitar solos that he's ever recorded with this band. Not to mention that "Learn to Obey" has a great "think for yourself" and "anti-conformity" message in the lyrics that does not come off as a cliché or corny at all. OFF! did a great job matching this song up to the album art. On the B-side is a song called "I See Through You," which believe it or not, is faster than "Learn to Obey." And to be quite frank, this song is just about calling people out on their bullshit and it's absolutely fantastic because the lyrics perfectly illustrate how it feels to do that: "You made it happen/Take life for what it is/Sugar-coated action!"

Note to my fellow vinyl nerds:
5500 copies of this 7-inch were pressed in black vinyl for Record Store Day 2014.
Also, Shepard Fairey sold 450 signed and hand-numbered prints of the album art via his website and 50 of these prints came bundled with the 7-inch.