NOFX - Self Entitled

Tracklist: 

01.72 Hookers 

02.I Believe In Goddess 

03.Ronnie & Mags 

04.She Didn't Lose Her Baby

05.Secret Society 

06.I, Fatty 

07.Cell Out 

08.Down With The Ship 

09.My Sycophant Others 

10.This Machine Is 4 

11.I've Got One Jealous Again, Again 

12.Xmas Has Been X'ed

Release date: September 11, 2012
Label: Fat Wreck Chords

Reviewed by Chad Jensen

Lets talk about NoFX. My first exposure to them was in the summer of 1994. I bought RIBBED on cassette. That record BLEW MY MIND. And even though most NoFX fans would say that their best album is PUNK IN DRUBLIC, Id have to say my fave is RIBBED. Ive been listening to NoFX for almost 20 years. I own every record theyve put out. Ive seen them live more times than I can count. Without Fat Wreck Chords, I dont know that there would be as many meaningful melodic punk rock bands nowadays. What with Epitaph turning to shit. Almost all of the best melodic punk bands still going, like Lagwagon, Strung Out, No Use (until Tony died), Dillinger Four, Descendents, Useless I.D., and the list goes on and on, call Fat Wreck home. And Im very grateful to Fat Mike for this. But unfortunately, Ive noticed a pattern with NoFXs last few albums like COASTER and WOLVES IN WOLVES CLOTHING. Whats the pattern? Fat Mike has gotten lazy as a song writer. Most casual fans might not know this, but Fat Mike writes almost 100% of NoFXs music. El Hefe might throw in a guitar lead, or a horn part, but Fat Mike writes the songs. Ive been disappointed over the last few albums because it just seemed like his writing was getting more and more lazy and more and more cynical. The songs werent as meaningful. They werent as funny. I couldnt connect with them in the same way as I could with even WAR ON ERRORISM. With SELF ENTITLED, I wouldnt say that theyve completely returned to form, but this record is a HELL OF A LOT BETTER than their last couple efforts.

The album opens up with 72 Hookers. Even if you had never before heard this record but had listened to NoFX in the past and you put on a blindfold, not knowing who the band is youre about to listen to: as soon as the guitar from this song starts, youd know if was motherfuckin NoFX. Its got the classic, fast paced, technical guitar riffs, snotty nasal vocals, precise fast paced drums, sound of NoFX and immediately sets the tone for the whole record. And guess what? The lyrics are actually funny. When everyone is getting blowjobs, thats when well finally have world peace. Good shit.

Fat Mike recently divorced his longtime wife and Fat Wreck Chords co-founder, Erin. And the emotional pain and resentment that divorce causes, bleeds through in this record A LOT. And thats a good thing. The record is a lot more honest and heart-felt. Remember My Orphan Year? Where he talks about both of his parents dying in the same year? That song was probably the best song on the COASTER record, but it felt like he was just sharing too much info for shock value. Didnt feel sincere. This whole record does. Songs like Ronnie Mags features the firey NoFX political commentary that were used to. And its super catchy. Secret Society is a mid-tempo anthemic type song in the vein of Bad Religion. Remember NoFXs I am a huge fan of Bad Religion song? Well, its no secret that Mikes favorite band is BR and theyve been hugely influential in all of NoFXs music and maybe never more so as in Secret Society. This Machine is For is another classic NoFX song. And it has an interesting genesis, in that it only has 1 guitar track on it. Very cool. I read an interview with Mike regarding this song, where he just thought that it sounded cool from a production standpoint, so they went with it on the record. Ive got one jealous again, again is an ode to his divorce and how his marriage ended and about splittin the matrimonial assets.

Overall, this record is a return to form for NoFX. It almost feels like a classic NoFX record. Almost. There are a lot of good songs on this record, but theres still a part of me that feels like getting laid and drunk and high is more important to Mike, than writing awesome melodic punk songs. Is this the best NoFX record ever? No. But its definitely their best effort since WAR ON ERRORISM.