In the mid 1990s MxPx seemed poised to take over the
world. Their melodic take on punk and hardcore was
energetic and was sweeping the world like a plague,
turning heads and winning fans so fast I thought the
Center for Disease Control would have to start quarantining
record stores. Each album brought more melody, more
fans and more sales than the last. When the band parted
ways with Tooth And Nail Records for a major label
I could only assume one thing--watch your asses Green
Day because MxPx is about to dethrone the ruling kings
of punk rock.
What followed was slightly confusing. The big takeover
never occurred. What followed was ten years of spotty,
watered down albums, excluding the amazing "Panic".
MxPx had gone the way of Jawbreaker. Sure their major
label releases were good, and more melodic than ever,
but they didn't have the same power the earlier albums
did. I don't know how long MxPx has had "Secret
Weapon" up their collective sleeves, but one
listen makes it perfectly clear, MxPx is back in a
big, big way.
"Secret Weapon" is like a pipe bomb on
a calm day. Although I have continued buying MxPx
albums hoping for a return to form, I have come to
hope without expectation. "Secret Weapon"
is more than a return to form. It's MxPx kicking in
the doors, tearing down the walls, and sounding fresh
and amazing. Songs like "Contention" rock
with a nod in the direction of hardcore the band hasn't
displayed in the better part of a decade. Melodic
songs like "Biting The Bullet (Is Bad for Business)"
show that MxPx can take the sound of their last few
records and combine it with classic MxPx sounds for
a very, vere enjoyable end product.
For this outing MxPx has successfully melded their
early sound with a mature, melodic punk rock. "Drowning"
sounds like something that could have appeared on
"Teenage Politics" ever so long ago, and
this fan is thrilled. One must wonder if MxPx has
been holding all the right cards all along, just waiting
for the right time to put them in play. A return to
Tooth And Nail has brought not only a return of classic
sounds, but a ferocious album that sounds like MxPx
is ready to take on the world. The battle cry has
been given. Look out, Good Charolette. MxPx is back
and hungry enough to eat you alive.
Key Tracks: Bass So Low, Punk Rock Celebrity, Angels
Reviewed by Jim McDonald |
