Good Clean Fun – Between Christian Rock and A Hard Place

The reason I got this CD was because of their single, The Myspace Song. I loved the ironic simplicity behind it all along with the nice acoustic melody. So when I got my hands on Between Christian Rock and A Hard Place, I was surprised to see what I found inside. Instead of a slow pop-punk tune, I got a old-school hardcore anthem; but I still fell in love with it instantly.

It’s definitely not the most original output, or the most innovative sound, but Good Clean Fun have spat out a fun and energizing old school positive hardcore album. It’s full of heavy riffs and constant drummer and strong, shout-along gang vocals that will make any hardcore kid throw their fist in the air (really, The Myspace Song sounds nothing like the rest of the album, which makes it an odd choice for the single). Despite all of that, it is Mr. Issa’s ironic take on lyrics which really take the album to a new level.

They don’t take themselves seriously, but instead go for good, clean, fun songs. They kick it off with A Little Bit Emo, A Little Bit Hardcore depicting a relationship between a “emo” boy and a “hardcore” girl, and you can’t help but smirk as you hear “She showed him times gone by, he showed her how to cry“. The CD-titled track questions the popularity of Christian Hardcore today while Punk Rock Lovetells a story of two punks in love (Kelly Green’s vocals here really bring the song up yet another level). Ex-Straightedge-Ex is a short, minute long anthem for all those non-straight edgers to shout along with. And What Corporate Rock Can’t Say firmly states what most punks thing “They can’t take it away: Punk will scream what corporate rock can’t say.”

This CD is fun, that’s as simple as it gets. It’s not serious, but its not childish or moronic either. It’s clear the band’s doing it for all the right reasons, and even though it’s not the most innovative hardcore and many of the songs sound somewhat similar, it’s a CD that every one should hear at least once, and shout along with endlessly.