Left Coast Punk, MXPX

Left Coast Punk, MXPX

One of the originators of pop punk music, MXPX climax their anniversary celebration with a new EP entitled Left Coast Punk. This disc opens with “One Step Further” which ignites this firey traditional three-pronged assault on the senses with lightning-fast riffs and projecting bass lines that are so evident in most West Coast punk outfits. They added in some quirky doo-wop styled harmonies and etched in some whimsical refrains to give this track some character though.

Next was “Desperate To Understand” as it had more of a standard approach to its sound with the layered grooves and perky tones that have made this band successful for more than 17 years. It was quite indicative of what punk rock was and is now with the balance of aggressive beats and sugary lyrics. “Broken” however was more of a somber cut on this release as it had mellower melodies, sharp hooks and a morose vocal presence. This track was different from most MXPX material as it was biting and slightly graphic in its nature showcasing tons of depth.

“Shanghaied In Shanghai” brought us back to the frenzied pace as it was more of an old school offering from the guys with some slight exceptions as they went ballistic on the guitars and had a heavier hand on the instrumentations. “End” finished things off as it began like an acoustic singer/songwriter jaunt but followed nicely into an escapade of thick audibles and friendly tambour giving us a pleasant finale to this small package. MXPX delivered the goods on Left Coast Punk and represented it welll.