NOFX- Backstage Passport Soundtrack

There are a handful of bands that immediately come to mind when some mentions mid-90s skate punk. Many bratty teens grew up listening to the humorous whine of Fat Mike & the guys of NOFX. They have attempted to delve into political topics through their songs over the years, but they are definitely not intellectuals like Propagandhi. The NOFX that most fell in love with way back in 1992 blends satirical commentary on every day life with over the top ridiculousness. In some ways, they are like the Andy Kaufman of punk rock, intentionally offensive and almost always hilarious.

A few years after the initial airing of the Backstage Passport documentary, the soundtrack is finally being released (although it does contain songs from the upcoming second season as well). For those who never witnessed the original episodes, they are worth tracking down to see the band travelling the world, experiencing it in their own special way. The soundtrack itself is a great NOFX collection. It is everything that you would expect from the band: snotty lyrics that poke fun at pretty much everyone, simple musical accompaniment and lots of Christian bashing.

Arming the Proletariat With Potato Guns is a collection of lousy jokes tucked between upbeat ska. It is as offensive as anything the guys have ever come up with. They switch things up with the European influenced melancholy accordion song I Melvin, played aptly by Eric Melvin himself.   They address critics on Insulted by Germans (Again), dismissing their claims with an aural fuck you. There are straight forward skate punk tracks, acoustic atheist slow jams and bouncy ska songs. 

You’ve heard these songs from this band before (with different titles and lyrics) and you know if you will like it or not. Like their punk rock elder statesmen brethren in Bad Religion and Pennywise, you know exactly what you are going to hear at this point in their career.