It's Tuesday, and Stephens day, or boxing day.
It's the day after Christmas, when the party is over, and we all have to return to our regular old lives. Jack Frost nipping at our nose has been replaced with loan sharks nipping at our heels, while we try to get away from the impending debt that we racked up over the holidays. Buying pints for friends, deciding to settle that bill at a restaurant, or purchasing extravagant presents for our loved ones - in order to buy their happiness (which does work, I don't care what anyone says) - maybe it was all a ruse; a con; a devilish ploy by the divil himself to make us all enter the new year sad, lost, and flat broke.
Let's just forget about it all for a while and stick on a pair of headphones. Music is free after all - unless you buy expensive concert tickets, but that's neither here nor there, we can all shout 'sell-out' when that time comes.
Don't Call Me White - Rancid
I got into Rancid years ago and always liked them. They have some cool albums and a bunch of great songs. I was always into Nofx though, if I were to choose one over the other, Nofx would win hands down.
Regardless, I came across a Nofx, and Rancid split EP, and I was pretty excited to hear what each of the bands were able to do with the other band's songs.
The Rancid version is shite, and this one has to be the biggest stinker of the bunch. I don't know why he chose to do it in that voice, and I just can't believe that the choice was anything other than taking the piss.
I'd be offended if someone did something like this to one of my songs. An absolute war crime.
The Brews - Rancid
The bass player in Rancid is the only redeeming quality. This is just another of the songs where they completely dropped the ball, and didn't even do the Nofx song in their own style, and instead chose to just butcher it.
I'll tell you exactly what's wrong with it too, other than the vocals, and in general - chaotic - mix and master, that makes it sound messy. The main thing that's wrong with this is the drums are weak, and without that driving sound from a well-balanced and precise drum mix, it makes all the other instruments sound all over the place.
Radio - NOFX
This song is one of my favourites on the entire album. They took Rancid's song, completely turned it upside down, and brought out something very different, unique, and well-produced.
The original is good, and of course, it's hard to say that a cover can be better than the original, but personally, I actually think this one is better than Rancid's version of radio.
What's funny about this song is, as well, that it's not even fully Nofx style of playing or their signature sound. Throughout their many albums they have played with different genres, for different songs, and even done a version of Straight Edge by Minor Threat as - I don't even know - an elevator music/ jazz song.
They're really talented, and put the hop in genre-hopping. While Rancid put S in special.
I just thought I'd share a split EP that I often go back to occasionally to laugh and cringe at, well, on Rancid's section. Nofx's half of the EP is pretty cool, and different, also they didn't just take a bunch of their most well-known songs to record either. So, there's another point for Nofx.
Also, at the start of the post, I sounded pretty miserable, but it was all in good fun. We had a great Christmas, and I've spent most of the day putting together flat packs, and walking off a hangover in search of food... but nowhere was open, so we cracked open another bottle of Prosecco, I like to think it's nicer than Champagne, but it's only nicer on the wallet.
Anyway, have a good day everyone, and I might tune in tomorrow with an exciting post about what's hiding on my shelf.