Wolves in Wolves' Clothing by NOFX

Pros: Plenty of snappy, socially-attuned tracks in the vein of NOFX's better side
Cons: Obligatory humor tracks and throwaways with little replay value

NOFX have always been regarded as one of the grandaddies of pre-suck-era punk rock -- after The Ramones/Sex Pistols originals but before the Simple Plan/Good Charlotte/etc. cabal that ruined everything. But even NOFX had hit the doldrums with some ...

Pros: First half is fun, catchy, and energetic
Cons: Second half is short, pointless, and forgettable

Upon receiving plenty of NoFx albums, their latest release Wolves in Wolves clothing was one that I had the opportunity of listening to. It is no where as good as War on Errorism but it has its moments. It is a carefree album that ...

Pros: An alternative to "American Idiot."
Cons: The songs sound the same.

There's something disconcerting about an aging punk band. I remember seeing gray on the Beastie Boys' temples, my face twisting into a Munchian scream. Okay, actually, I was even more horrified by Green Day's complete wuss-out. Thanks. Here we have a ...

Pros: Excellent music and an evolved sound. Good vocals and smart lyrics.
Cons: The songs just don't make a great album. Not enough 'rock' with the 'message'.

If you were wanting to hear NOFX for the first time, this would not be the album I'd recommend. This is a series of rants, however well-written, that are sung to music.

What struck me most about "Wolves in Wolves Clothing" was the almost total lack of hooks in any of their songs. Every song, with little exception, is one continuous thought, with no repeating chorus to really grab the listener. And if that weren't enough, it seems as if Fat Mike doesn't want to rhyme half the time. All recipes that add up to a mediocre product that is not in my heavy rotation. I definitely recommend "Pump up the Valuum" or "War on Errorism" (at least) before this one.