NOFX - Never Trust AHippy

Fri 31st Mar, 2006 in Music Reviews

The clichéd depiction of the ultimate hippy J.C on the front of NOFX`s new EP Never Trust A Hippy is a little trite, but still amusing nonetheless. Beer in hand and bong on the table surrounded by his new found punk rocker mates, we have all come to expect such antics from this well-known band. What most of the younger audiences of NOFX may not know is that these guys started to get things together way back in 1983, this widely popular genre-morphing band have put out eighteen EPs and fourteen full length albums over these years. Soon to be included in their progressing array of albums is the new album called Wolves in Wolves` Clothing.

The entertaining Seeing Double At The Triple Rock serves up some fun party music that is fast paced with a catchy racy riff that runs madly through the song with no relent. Fat Mike informs us of some alcohol consuming adventures when singing “When in Minnesota and you`ve got a drinking quota” until The Marxist Brothers slows it all down with some dub/post punk-like music. This one proves to be quite sarcastic and comical, especially when Mike vocalises things like “We protested the G8, got maced by female police in hot black uniforms and boots…I got ones email address”.

Golden Boys is the first of four tracks to remain on the EP, but it almost belongs on the album The War On Errorism with its “Go, go golden boys, you got your war toys” line. You`re Wrong strips it all back and lays it down straightforward and bare, as opposed to the calamity of Never Trust A Hippy`s other tracks. This one covers controversial issues starting with Christianity to prostitution, economics, politics, homosexuality, the NRA, abortion, more religion and lastly summing it up by reiterating “you’re wrong, and will probably never know”.

Everything In Moderation (especially moderation) will have your veins pumping and your legs jumping, but not for long. Everything In Moderation can be taken literally here, as a mere one minute and twenty three seconds of this track seems hardly enough to inebriate even the least hardcore fan. I’m Going To Hell For This One takes over with a smooth transition that has been well produced (Bill Stevenson, Jason Livermore and Fat Mike) merging into lyrics such as “Jesus Christ will resurrect, he`s got his BMI royalty to collect…He`s coming back, he wants to kick Mel Gibson`s ass”. NOFX are a crack-up on this track as the lyrics go on to say “Some ecstasy, a thin white line… he says designer drugs beat the hell out of wine”.

So there you have it. NOFX, for me, is all good in moderation, contrary to what their hoards of young fans crave. On the downside, this EP is over all too quickly but makes for some great anticipation of the upcoming Wolves in Wolves ` Clothing. These veteran punk rockers can still hit the fast ball, especially when it comes to shedding their views on controversial issues. “When your band has been a band longer than The Ramones, and critics coin you the punk Rolling Stones” you must be doing pretty well for yourself.