Hey kids!
Riding high on the summer, I thought I'd take today's piece to extoll the virtues of the black sheep of popular music, the thing a lot of people loved but no one admits anymore - melodic punk. I will not stoop to calling it pop-punk, because even for me that feels a bit too emasculating, despite my love for both old school punk like The Descendants (Milo Goes to College) and pop music (my own Cyndi Lauper posts). The conflagration of titles seems to be a detriment to both genres, so I tend to just think of it as punk songs with a bit more melody and sunshine, the kind of thing you sing along with no matter what you're doing. Today's melodic punk selection? 'No Cigar' by Scandinavian band Millencolin.
Millencolin have long been associated with skate culture, as early as their first American releases on California label Epitaph, who saw the potential in bringing the band's sound into the exploding scene on the West Coast. Riding in on the wave of mega-sellers like Green Day, The Offspring and Rancid, Millencolin (whose name supposedly is derived from the skate trick known as a melancholy) found success both here and abroad. Of course, being the nerd I am, the only reason I knew of the band was from the cultural exposure I can credit to my hip West Coast cousin Ben, who included them in a long list of "Bands I Should Be Listening To". Others on the list included NOFX, Reel Big Fish and MxPx. It was a heady time, when all was right in the world, I was a young teenager and poppy little ska-punk bands like these made total sense to us. I had no idea I would look back on this list and think "Oh, that's cute..." while cringing just a bit. Hey, at the time I was also into Radiohead and the Pumpkins - sometimes you gotta just roll with the punches.
Anyway.
I was familiar with the band. However, the first time one of their songs really drilled into my skull, though, was like a lot of nerds - as accompaniment to Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2. I know, I know. Further proof of inherent, undeniable nerdery. It's like a brand or a mark that can't be scrubbed off. Anyway...the track chosen for the game came from an EP the band had just put out, titled No Cigar. The song stands out for me as a kind of codifier on what mid-90s alt-punk sounded like, with it's jangly, punchy guitar riffs and hurtling choruses. I seem to recall Ben telling me that the band was Swedish, but maybe that's just a crossing of wires in my memory banks. I do know that it was apparent that there was something just slightly off about the lyrics, like they were written a little oddly or sung with strange inflection. Whenever it was that I found out, though, their sound made a lot more sense.
It is a fantastic number, though. From the opening drumrolls that slide you right into the pocket, the song is a solid rocker. Like I said, it's classic 90's (ugh) pop punk, with verses that are sung over just drum and bass, picking up some palm-muted notes as the chorus approaches. I still adore the way the chorus lurches into high gear, with the syncopated slams of the band playing in unison for every note. By the time the last chorus comes they're playing these impossibly dexterous triplets that hook my brain in, no matter how pretentious my tastes have become. True to form, there are no solos or lead parts, just a really jangly little riff that plays on some minor, open chords that are left to ring, creating a great sense of dissonant harmony. It's just a really straight-forward, strong pop song that veers more to punk than rock, is all.
So why do I feel so sheepish about enjoying this, when I've clearly written about much more embarrassing things on here? Maybe it's that it's the underdog of the 90s, a time on which a lot of people still don't look fondly. There's a bit of nostalgia, sure, but it really wasn't that long ago (10 years, man) that it came out. It still made its way into a playlist I made a few months ago, for running. I think there's a simplicity and accessibility to this song, and certainly this genre of music, that people confuse with vapidity. To be clear and straight-forward in your communication is not a bad thing - conversely communicating poorly and then acting smug about not being understood is not sufficient grounds to label something art (to paraphrase an old XKCD comic). It would seem people are afraid to embrace the music due to it's stigma of fashion, rather than ideas - Bad Religion continue to be one of the smartest, most thought-provoking bands I've heard.
Regardless of my apologist stance, 'No Cigar' by Millencolin is a a great song that shouldn't get swept under the rug. Just wait for more of the nascent 90s nostalgia if you want a good excuse. When everyone's rocking Doc Martens and watching Clarissa Explains It All, feeling good about VH1, I'll be the one saying "Yeah, but I still think this band is good..."
Riding high on the summer, I thought I'd take today's piece to extoll the virtues of the black sheep of popular music, the thing a lot of people loved but no one admits anymore - melodic punk. I will not stoop to calling it pop-punk, because even for me that feels a bit too emasculating, despite my love for both old school punk like The Descendants (Milo Goes to College) and pop music (my own Cyndi Lauper posts). The conflagration of titles seems to be a detriment to both genres, so I tend to just think of it as punk songs with a bit more melody and sunshine, the kind of thing you sing along with no matter what you're doing. Today's melodic punk selection? 'No Cigar' by Scandinavian band Millencolin.
Anyway.
I was familiar with the band. However, the first time one of their songs really drilled into my skull, though, was like a lot of nerds - as accompaniment to Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2. I know, I know. Further proof of inherent, undeniable nerdery. It's like a brand or a mark that can't be scrubbed off. Anyway...the track chosen for the game came from an EP the band had just put out, titled No Cigar. The song stands out for me as a kind of codifier on what mid-90s alt-punk sounded like, with it's jangly, punchy guitar riffs and hurtling choruses. I seem to recall Ben telling me that the band was Swedish, but maybe that's just a crossing of wires in my memory banks. I do know that it was apparent that there was something just slightly off about the lyrics, like they were written a little oddly or sung with strange inflection. Whenever it was that I found out, though, their sound made a lot more sense.
Regardless of my apologist stance, 'No Cigar' by Millencolin is a a great song that shouldn't get swept under the rug. Just wait for more of the nascent 90s nostalgia if you want a good excuse. When everyone's rocking Doc Martens and watching Clarissa Explains It All, feeling good about VH1, I'll be the one saying "Yeah, but I still think this band is good..."
