sxejustin's Full Review: Complete Discography by Minor Threat
Minor Threat was one of the most important bands in the history of punk rock, and probably the most important in the history of hardcore. They helped to define the west coast hardcore of the early 1980's, because their music was harder, rougher, and faster than almost anything that had been done before. They also coined the term "straight edge" and started the idea of punks being positive and self-aware as opposed to nihilistic.
This album collects every song Minor Threat released in their relatively short history. The 26 songs contained on it are culled from Minor Threat's various vinyl releases on Dischord, the label owned by lead singer Ian Mackaye. The songs are more or less in chronological order, ending with "Salad Days", the title track of Minor Threat's final single that represented the group looking back on it's legacy.
MUSIC: 4/5 Stars
Minor Threat plays a brand of punk influenced hardcore. It was rougher than almost anything else out in the punk scene at the time, but it still maintained melodies because it was influenced by punk, not metal. This is different from most current hardcore on labels like Victory, which is more metallic than anything else. The guitars are vibrant and insane, the drum beats are frenetic and crazy, and Ian screams most of the lyrics while pausing to speak a few choice lines once in awhile. It comes together almost flawlessly, and influenced many other hardcore groups past and present. It still may be a little rough for pop punk kids, and it takes a bit of getting used to if you aren't already into hardcore.
LYRICS: 5/5 Stars
Ian Mackaye was excellent at writing intelligent, straight forward lyrics. Most of the lyrical content of this album deals with being an outcast, and being generally "Out of step with the world". Much of it is Ian's observations as he looks at the idiocy of a world he wants nothing to do with and begins to realize may be impossible to change. In one word, the lyrics of this album are ANGRY. Ian is sick and tired of whiners, hypocrites, idiots, fascists, and others, and he wants the world to know how fed up he is. He conveys his thoughts in an excellent way, and even people put off by Minor Threat's rough musical style can agree that the lyrics are excellent.
AESTHETICS: 5/5 Stars
The liner notes to the album are very nicely laid out. The front of the album portrays Ian in his famous pose with his head in his hands, and in the notes, amongst the lyrics, are various live and personal shots of the band. The live shots give you an idea of the kind of energy Minor Threat must have brought to their live shows almost twenty years ago, and the personal shots are very nice also. My two favorites are of the band outside an old house, Ian with his head shaved and Brian Baker wearing a faded and torn Cramps hoodie. In one they are at the fence of the house, in another they are sitting on the steps, with a skateboard featuring an "Out of Step" sheep on it and Brian sitting on an old box of Pepsi. Something about these black and white photos really appeals to me.
ORIGINALITY: 5/5 Stars
As I said, at the time Minor Threat came out there really wasn't anything this hard in the punk rock scene. The true test of a band's originality is whether or not they inspired bands that came out later, and Minor Threat has definitely done that. Almost every melodic hardcore band to come out since Minor Threat owes them their dues. Minor Threat was the first band to compile hard hitting, rough music with a positive, self-aware message.
STAND OUT TRACKS:
1. Filler: A very angry song that I can identify with in which Ian mocks two friends who have changed themselves, one for religion, and one for love. Anyone who's been abandoned by their friends like this knows where Ian is coming from.
4. Straight Edge: The coining of the term most people don't know the true origin of occurs in this song, as Ian states that he has better things to do than drugs and doesn't need them in his life. Thus, the sXe lifestyle begins.
8. Minor Threat: The band's theme song, about the importance of not rushing through life and taking your time being immature. Why is everyone in such a hurry to grow up anyway?
11. In My Eyes: Another sXe song, this time attacking all of his friend's reasons (excuses) for using drugs in the first verse, and then fighting back against their accusations that Ian will never accomplish anything in the second.
12. Out of Step (with the world): This one lays out the basic points of Ian's sXe philosophy: Don't smoke, don't drink, don't f*ck (promiscously), and how those three simple beliefs leave him out of step with the world.
26. Salad Days: The song in which Minor Threat looks back on it all and realizes that through the band there were many good times, but it's not worth it anymore. Perhaps Ian had a premonition of the ugly, violent, often fascistic, jock-infested subculture straight edge would come to be, something he never intended.
Minor Threat's Complete Discography is an essential album to pick up for anyone interested in hardcore or real punk rock. It's also a great album if you have a lot of rage issues or just like energetic, angry music. The gruff vocals and rough music may take a bit of getting used to, but this album is not one to pass up on.
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