Sound: Bad Religion have been going for over 20 years now, but have managed to retain their trademark punk sound all the way through. Whereas ex-label mates The Offspring have broken into the mainstream with more pop-influenced songs, BR have never really strayed from the classic punk formula of fast drumming, loud guitars and kick-ass solos, this album being no exception. There are no innovations as such, just pure punk from start to finish. // 8
Lyrics and Singing: Greg Graffin has a great voice, and can sing really well live (as their live album "Tested" shows). The lyrics, whilst remaining true to the punk formula (politics, being different, conflict, death, etc), are clever and catchy, and Greg's voice compliments these so well. The backing vocals also add another dimension to the performance, and it is so nice to hear a punk band where not only can the lad singer actually sing, but so can his guitarists. // 10
Impression: Overall, my only complaint is that of the unoriginal nature of the album as a whole. Each song sounds quite similar to the last, although there is always the argument that if one song kicks ass, why change it when you could just rearrange it? That said, it's a great album, and there are some great guitar riffs and solos. Th songs that standout to me are "10 in 2010", "Them And Us" (both featured in the computer game 'Crazy Taxi'), "Drunk Sincerity", "The Gray Race" and "The Streets of America". Id definitely buy it again if I lost it. I own a few Bad Religion albums and this is probably my favourite. I'd recommend this to anyone who's into punk. An impressive recording. // 8
