MXPX
Let It Happen [Deluxe Edition]
Tooth & Nail Records 2006
www.mxpx.com

What’s the 4-1-1?
Try to follow me here: To celebrate the return to their indie roots and original label, MxPx pumps up their 1998 rarities album Let It Happen with 3 new tracks, 3 unreleased demos, and all of their music videos. Incidentally, Let It Happen was released 9 years ago to celebrate their departure from the indie scene to the majors.

Genre
Punk rock

The Good
Let’s face it; punk rock isn’t exactly about musical structure. Any one who’s listened to one punk album knows that the progressions are constructed of 3 or four chord changes are varying speeds. What makes really makes good punk rock is the impactful lyrics. In addition to good lyrics, I personally prefer melodic vocals. A rarity for this particular genre. Fortunately for MxPx, they have both. And this is their B-material!

When you compare the three new tracks “Role Modeling,” “Prozac,” and “Your Turn” to the older tracks on the album, you can hear the advancements in the group’s musicianship and quality. That’s not to say the older stuff doesn’t have its merits. “Never Learn” is probably every guy’s theme song as we all contemplate why we are with women that treat us like crap and continue to go back to that type. “Sick Boy” employs a punk trademark with lots of ooohs and ahhhs. The group spices up the 1950s classic “Oh Donna” with drum beats that players back then never dreamed of.

Although I haven’t figured out what “GSF” stands for, I can relate to the heartbreak and girlfriend frustrations. “Rock & Roll Girl” is just a straight-up, chugga-chugga party song. Vocalist Mike Herrera prefaces “Lifetime and Enlightenment” with ‘this is a yelling song.’ He ain’t kidding. The quick change in riffage, from punk to thrash, was quite a pleasant surprise. “Honest Answers” is just as forceful as our desire to get them. “Biased Bigotry” takes a stab at a social issue we all can relate too. The demo versions of “Twisted Words,” “Suggestion Box,” and “Too Much Thinking” aren’t as rough as you would expect.

The DVD portion of this deluxe release gives you chance to sample some of the bands album tracks. While I thought they all twelve videos were entertaining, I think they are something more suited for longtime fans, rather than casual listeners. It was comforting to see that the group put effort into their video concepts, rather than rolling out live performance videos.

The Bad
Liner notes would have been cool.

The Verdict
Celebration or cashing in on the past? That’s for you to decide. Otherwise, MxPx deliver classic punk rock sounds combined with thought-provoking lyrics and melodic vocals. If this is their leftovers, I can only imagine how great their A-list material is.

Did You Know?
MxPx is actually an abbreviation for Magnified Plaid. This came about when drummer Yuri Ruley abbreviated the band’s name in show flyers. His penmanship was so poor that the periods looked like Xs. The abbreviation eventually stuck.

Rating: out of 5

--George Dionne