Punk in Drublic
NOFX make a convincing case for taking unserious people seriously on Punk in Drublic. The jokes are obvious, Fat Mike's voice is hardly graceful, and the songs often arrive at a reckless pace. Underneath that presentation is a band with precise playing and a strong sense of how a melody should move.
Linoleum establishes the standard. Its opening guitar figure is clear, the rhythm keeps pushing, and the vocal melody develops without needing a conventional pause for a giant chorus. The song feels complete because each part leads directly into the next. Leave It Alone is more openly catchy, showing how naturally the band can make a hook land without slowing their attack.
The record's range of subjects helps. Don't Call Me White tackles identity with an argumentative directness, while Perfect Government gives the political frustration a tune that remains easy to follow. Fat Mike's sneer is useful when it makes certainty sound questionable. It is less useful when a joke seems to assume that being rude is already enough of a point.
Lori Meyers is one of the strongest pieces of writing because the change in vocal perspective complicates the song's initial judgement. The arrangement stays fast and inviting while the words open another side of the argument. The Brews is more playful, with the band's musical precision keeping the absurdity from becoming merely loose noise.
Not every detour is equally satisfying. My Heart Is Yearning changes the rhythm and tone, but its joke lasts longer than its musical idea. The later sequence is also less consistently sharp than the opening run. The acoustic Scavenger Type provides an interesting ending, even if the record takes a while to settle into it.
The strongest impression is still of songs made by musicians who understand exactly how much can fit inside a short form. Punk in Drublic has a rough voice and a quick temper, but the arrangements are thoughtful. The best jokes and arguments work because there is an equally good song doing the work beneath them.
