Scream, Dracula, Scream

It's not bad, but I can't understand how this was chosen among the avalanche of similar/better albums from the late 90s.

I liked the theory more than the execution.

Ummm… ok! Not my cup of tea.

Loud, but better than expected

Can’t give it a bad review because it was perfectly enjoyable. But I can not understand why this is on here. Like at all. There is nothing about this album in 1995 which makes it particularly noteworthy

Thoughts before listening: This is one of my favorite albums and bands from the 90s that has seemingly disappeared. You just don't hear much about Rocket From The Crypt anymore. However, I loved these guys' punky rock n roll style back in the day. I am pleasantly surprised to see them make this list. Review: Oh man...what a blast from the past this is. I really loved this album in the 90s, even though it was a little different from the melodic punk I was listening to at the time. In fact, listening again for the first time in years (20+ years maybe?) its interesting to me how songs I used to think were the best (i.e. the punky "On a Rope") are now less interesting to me than some others on here that incorporate more interesting song structures and instrumentation (i.e. "Young Livers" and "Used"). Overall this is a fun album, with lots of nostalgia for me, that seems to have been mostly lost to time (the band has ~40,000 monthly listens on Spotify). 4-stars

Original.

The thing with punk is that you need to be careful with it, it's a difficult genre to pull off because you don't want to end up just making the same 2 minute song 12 times and calling it an album, which is deceptively hard not to do. And this album does just about manage that, with most songs being much longer for usual punk standards, and while it can be very repetitive at times, there is still just about enough going on to keep it interesting.

It’s fine. Definitely reaching a point in this project where it’s getting a bit repetitive. I just haven’t had consistently awesome albums in some times. It’s mostly been 2 and 3 star albums. The kind of stuff the maker of this list was just using to fill in numbers. And, like, again, I think to all the amazing albums that AREN’T on this list, and I look at this one and wonder, “Why?” (And then I go to Wikipedia to see that it was popular in the UK, so it’s yet another album that the author of this list liked growing up).

I toured with RFTC great guys - this album was just out - memories of course

Hadn’t given it a serious listen in the past. This would have been on heavy rotation in my late teens/early 20s. Fun songs.

They were fun live when I was 16 but their structure of song writing is lacking and not tight at all.

I need a cookie for making it through that entire album. Horrible. Terrible. No good. Awful. Bad.

A third of the songs were good, I got tired of their shtick halfway through

ROCK ON!!!!

Probably too harsh if a rating, but what is this dogshit? This is like a high school garage band inexplicably got massive.

pretty shite

I always resented and avoided these guys for their attempt to overwrite the memory of the legendary Rocket From The Tombs, a short-lived mid 70s band in whose wake was formed two of the best bands of the punk era, Pere Ubu and The Dead Boys. 'Tombs lasted maybe a year but originated many of the songs that Ubu and Dead Boys would later use to save the souls of countless punks, losers and creeps, like Sonic Reducer, Life Stinks, Final Solution, 30 Seconds Over Tokyo, and more. If you are going to steal the name of one of the all-time greats of the underground, you better be lights out. Like Omar says in The Wire: You come at the king, you best not miss. They missed. It's not terrible music. I even might have liked this album if they hadn't fucked themselves and me with their bullshit name. Overall, the sounds are tight and I like the way they use horns - much better than how most rock bands use horns. But the singing is uninteresting and the tunes tend to be derivative (e.g., Come See, Come Saw lifts its melody over the verses directly from Smokey Robinson's Get Ready) and ultimately I can't get over their dare to compare to some of the most musical misanthropes Cleveland ever produced. Fuck no. Fuck you for even putting it out there. And fuck whoever made this list for perpetuating this violence on the soul of rock n roll. Rock n Roll isn't Hall of Fame-able. Rock n Roll is a lifeline for the lonely from someone who's been there. This is a serious hassle because in order to cleanse my soul and make things right again, after I finish typing this up I have little choice but to crank my 'Tombs bootleg, sniff some glue, pointlessly vandalize something, get in a terrible fight - preferably with my significant other - and wake up in jail. I had other, more respectable plans for this lovely summer weeknight but it won't feel right until balance is restored in the universe. Fuck - what a pain in the ass!

Between the oddball band name and the cryptic (ahem) album cover, I had no idea what to expect from this mid-90s album. I guess I wasn't really expecting a punk-with-horns variant, although thankfully they're not identical to the likes of The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Reel Big Fish, Less Than Jake, etc., all of whom I've enjoyed, but they're kind of interchangeable. It was fun to watch their three videos to their (Europe-only?) singles "Born in '69" (intentionally cheesy 50s B-movie romp with alien vampires), "On a rope" (with completely irrelevant but adorable puppies and young farm animals, plus a strange assortment of lollipops growing on trees), and "Young livers" (the weakest video of the lot, with a sort of greaser-gang motif playing buttball), and the album in general is an impressive collection of tight, quick and pretty rocking tracks. It's a shame that the Interscope execs nixed their concept of filling in the space between tracks with woodwinds and strings. Judging from the Wikipedia entry, it sounds like Rocket From the Crypt's real attraction was in their live performances--carnival games, German variety shows (in Europe), progressively more elaborate stage costumes, etc.--so I'm sorry I never got a chance to see them play. This album may not count as a particularly refined music experience, but they get more than an "A" for effort and energy.

I enjoyed Young Livers the most of these songs. Mostly a miss from me; the way the album was recorded makes it sound too distant, and I found myself thinking about how much I like the Ramones and Jay Reatard while listening.

It's ok, fun at times, but wouldn't go out of my way to listen to it again. Highlights: Come See, Come Saw

Enjoyed the guitar and the unexpected ?saxaphine Favourites: come see, come saw

This album was fine, not sure I absolutely HAD to listen to it before I die though, it was pretty generic 90s punk rock. If this is on the list I hope there is also some actually influential 90s punk rock on here, Greenday will obviously make the list, but is it too much to hope for some NOFX or Rancid? (It’s probably too much to hope for) Fav songs: Used, Come See, Come Saw

This is nowhere near as good as it should be. The vocals are poor, and why did you mix this to hide the horn section?

Totally missed this in 1995, but really, was there anything to miss?

Great, but a couple of songs too long. It's more rock 'n roll than most punk bands of that time. They were great live, with glitter suits and sarcasm. Favorite song: ball lightning

Ska punk straight out of a Tony Hawk game. Expensively produced with lots of overdubs and a very polished 90s alt rock radio friendly sound that leans a bit Springsteen anthemic at times, but mostly stays in the nightmare venn diagram overlap of green day and the bosstones. Decent guitars parts, horns complementing the bass parts and adding harmonies, very whiney vocals, big drums. The songs are over-written with lots of changing parts and stop start style. It's really pretty annoying.

so repetitive

Really not very memorable to me. Felt really generic. It was a fine listen but nothing that really captivated me.

It's been a while since I last listened to this album and I read some other people's reviews first and saw a lot of negative ones. It made me question my memories of how good RFTC are, but no, this is still great from start to finish. I don't know what the people who didn't like this album were hearing but I feel sorry for their ears if this sounds bad to them.

Enjoyed from start to finish but didn't feel I could really fully immerse myself into it. Some songs felt quite generic

Started out ok but I think I just got a little tired of it

Some nice guitar on here - mostly, just 'meh.

pretty good. not a mood i would ever really go for

אלבום מצוין! זה רוק עשוי טוב שיר מועדף - On a rope

as a punk, we do not claim them

This fucking rocks! I've heard of the band before but never listened. It's high octane punk rock, with the occasional touch of horns (not ska, but ska adjacent which I'm all for). There's not much to say of tempo change throughout the record, which I'm really fine with. It's just balls to the wall. I am surprised I haven't heard this before. I love 90s pink. On a Rope is an anthem. I'll definitely be relistening to this one.

“Scream, Dracula, Scream” is an enjoyable album. There are a few genuine rippers that I imagine would have been really fun to see live, especially with the theatrics described in the Wikipedia summary; “A large headlining tour in support of the album ensued in 1996, and there were supporting tours with Rancid and Soundgarden. During these tours the band gained a reputation for a series of interesting and, at times, seemingly ludicrous gimmicks and stage antics which included holding raffles during live performances, spinning a large game show wheel to determine setlists, onstage fire breathing, annual Halloween and New Year's shows, and the wearing of coordinated and progressively more ornate stage costumes.” There’s also a few clunkers I didn’t enjoy at all. This album highlights something I’ve been thinking about broadly with this project which is that 1001 albums feels like too many. I know, I know – patience, enriching yourself by listening to things outside your normal realm of discovery, diligence with overcoming the urge to skip things, etc. As I am thinking about it now with this album, my real hangup is that it’s called Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. That makes me feel a sense of urgency that is counter to the patience needed to really enjoy the experiment of stretching out to 1001 albums, because if it’s “before you die” I start expecting everything to be monumental or earth shattering in some way but that’s not really the point is it? When I first started listening my reaction was “shit, 1001 is just too long of a list to be 100% brilliant, pre death must-listens” but after I refused to skip tracks, and the album getting better as it progressed, I started appreciating both the album and this project more. The problem is I have less time / my brain is less conditioned for this type of intentional friction than it seems like ever before. If you haven’t read the book “Filterworld” by Kyle Chayka it’s relevant here. I enjoy punk rock so that made this one easier, as did the manageable run time. Would I put this album in my top 1001 albums of all time list? Probably not, but honestly maybe now that I forced myself to listen all the way through? 1001 is a lot of albums. I guess what I’m struggling with is that 1001 albums to listen to as an exercise in musical enrichment before you die is different from the best albums of all time that I always enjoy revisiting.

I think this project has just pointed out that I don’t really enjoy punk music. The first two tracks had me scared this was going to be miserable, but as the melodies came in I was having more fun. Once I got the vibe the 43 minutes flew by. They seem like fun young fellas, not something I’ll probably spin again.

If Jimmy Buffet made an ill-advised punk album, I think it would sound something like this.

Nice!

The whole album sounds like a ska version of Ted lasso theme

I think a lot of these songs could have been great if they were in a different genre, but the chaotic, high energy punk/garage rock covers up some of the better motifs. As is, it's decent, but not something I think I need to hear again.

Savage! Great line-drive rock and roll. Didn’t give them much of a listen back in the ‘90s (I think I imagined them as some pretentious goth’punk band because of their name). My mistake! Good stuff.

On a Rope is great Sounded like ska without being ska Enjoyed it a lot. 3

Perus huutoalbumia...

Funket sikkert på vorspiel i '95, men veldig slitsomt i lengden.

My lukewarm response to this one may have more to do with my appreciation of 1995 releases by Offspring, Rancid, and Elastica. RFTC are willing and able, but didn't really appeal to me.

Aight

Not really my thing.

Solid, listenable record. Sounds like it has more in common with garage rock tradition than other mid-90s indie bands.

not my thing - punk

I kept waiting for some of the songs to sound different from the other ones. It happened at the very end.

"high energy" "punk" "rock". just because you put the words together doesn’t mean it is. puts on the costume and thrashes around, tries to convince you. gnashes its teeth. is fast. has horns. says little. i found myself doing strange things while this was playing. put a monster energy sticker on my truck. stashed my sunglasses on the back of my head. grew a soul patch. sounds like san diego. like french fries in your perfectly good burrito. empty calories. there are impulses here that i appreciate more than on the albums i’ve rated as 1, but not by much. this is empty sound and impotent fury. if this is your thing, i’m sure these guys are coming to a desert or riverboat casino near you soon. keep stingin' em fellas.

Elvis Costello on steroids, here comes RFTC! Definitely respect this band, they always kept it high energy and blurred the punk/rock genre lines. But listening to this album just makes me want to listen to the cramps and Operation Ivy and social distortion and blue meanies and nirvana and even though they sound nothing like it NOFX. I’m not sure why it just doesn’t do it for me. Most of the elements are there octane, fun guitar parts, drummer salad, freakin’ horn section but something about the dude‘s vocals and just kind of how everything comes together this little lackluster for me not a terrible album just not for me. Song/band that song reminds me of Middle/ Op Ivy Born in 69/

it was fast. it was loud. it was fun. 3

Unfassbar nerviger Schreischrott.

I came into this one with no idea what to expect, but boy was I not expecting that. Based on the name I figured it was probably a goth college rock band, in the same vein as Ministry or the Cure. This is not like either of those. Just a fun album, kinda like a mix between Oingo Boingo and The Presidents Of The United States Of America. A lot of punk influence with a little ska horns added for good measure. My standouts are "Come See, Come Saw" and "Drop Out" but most of the album is good. Worth a listen, and definitely a fun album too listen to.

That's an album that I would love as a teenager, if I would ever heard of this band before. On a Rope is a pretty special song, I'm happy to listen to it for few weeks non-stop, even if it's 30 years too late. The vocalist's voice is not the greatest ever, slightly too nasaly, I guess? But otherwise nice 90s mtv style rock.

meh

If I listen to this again in the right contacts, I might be able to find a song that I think is pretty okay, but overall I just was not feeling it

While it’s fairly generic sounding alt/punk rock, I loved the energy throughout the record and the band definitely has a lot of fun playing these tunes.

Catchy, new-wave punk with horns.

Not sure how I hadn’t heard of these guys, but good fun album. Not much variety song to song though.

Not my thing

Another one that is perfectly enjoyable and a solid rock out, but I don't really understand what it's doing here. Bit pop-punky, bit of brass, lot of shouty vocals. It's better in its more melodic moments but there were a handful that caught my ear and made it to the playlist. I'm not sure I feel the need to make return trips after a couple of goes through.

This is the sound I think of when I think "punk". I thought I liked punk. This was just okay.

I was not familiar with this band and I enjoyed this album, it was fun. I like the energy.

An album that benefits from not taking itself too seriously. Also the band has great chemistry, but this lost it's luster as it went on.

The producer: gee this is a really tight awesome band but the singer can't really sing. No worries, we'll stick the vocals low in the mix, compress the sound and no-one will know any different. Weirdly energetic and boringly unengaging at the same time.

On a rope was a great song from back in the day. The album is OK. Think they would have been a fun band to see live. Gutted I never got the chance.

Bit boring

Like a lite version of what it wanted to be. Despite the noise this somehow still managed to sound flat and lacking in any passion. Tough gig mind, coming the day after Never Mind The Bollocks.

Half of the songs had me humming, "On a Rope, on a rope, got me hanging on a rope." A solid 3 star album: It's not bad, it has at least one good track One star: It's offensive to my ears Two: It has no merits Three: It doesn't stand out particularly Four: Yeah, this is good Five: A masterpiece that deserves repeated listening

I remember seeing Rocket From The Crypt on Top of the Pops playing On a Rope and thinking that was a lot fun. That song has made it into most of my playlists throughout the years, but I'd never listened to the album. Is it a great album? Nah, it's all too samey. Did I enjoy listening? You betcha!🤘

I let this one run a couple times in a row. Pleasantly surprised at the rowdy edge this group has and how they've channeled into some gnarly riffs.

Fun listen. Sounds like punk rock party music. Catchy songs and plenty of hooks. I like the background vocals and horns. kind of a classic sound for 1995. Some parts remind me of Elvis Costello. 4

Really enjoyed this one, was not expecting to but i was into it the whole way. Had some cool textures and vibes. Reminded me of 90’s skate videos. 4.5

I actually liked this album a lot. It went a little long but it made me feel like I was in a 90s rom com

Rating: 8/10 Fun, catchy, and punchy punk rock.

They call it punk, but it seems a little too theatrical for my punk tastes. Young Livers I found fun, embraceable pop-punk stylings, the best cut too me. Much of the rest kind of one-note. A lot of fun, but I'm not able to take it too seriously. Like the song Ball Lightning--the whole thing built around want some cheese with your wine (whine)? Fat Lip, on the other hand, explodes. Back and forth.

What’s new? What’s different? Not that much to be honest. Feels a bit samey and not that exciting. Could/should be a 2.5.

This was really good. I had difficulty finding the time for a single front-to-back listen, so there were multiple mini sessions, which ultimately had me listen to the record more than once in total. Each session reinforced my appreciation of the RFTC's songwriting—riff writing—and attitude. Reminded me a lot of The Supersuckers, a band you've probably never heard of, and these guys might write better tunes, if I'm being objective. Great concise mix of punk and rock. I dig it.

I found it kind of boring. The singer doesn't really bring much to the proceedings. Not sure why it's on the list.

Not for me.

Pretty decent punk/grunge. Upbeat but not overwhelming, well written and produced. Probably won’t come back to it again, but I didn’t hate it.

I’m pretty sure I saw them open for the Foo Fighters in 1998. Which is interesting because parts of some of these songs bear striking similarities to parts of Foos’ songs, likely owing more to both bands’ influence from the Beatles than any direct influence between each other. Overall this is boisterous punky ska-infused hard rock that’s way less obnoxious than most other examples from that genre.

Mediocre, overproduced faux punk with unnecessary horns intruding on all of this. Didn't move the needle at all.

Een soort Elvis Costello on steroids, dit. Rare combi ook: wat glamrock, wat powerrock, hier en daar blazers, dan klinkt het zowaar als een jarenzestigbandje. Maar van alles net niks.

Weer een plaat die veel korter duurde dan ik ervaarde. Wat is dit lang hetzelfde geluid. Tegelijk zijn de nummers die wel iets anders klinken eigenlijk zo uit de toon, dat dat ook weer irritant is. Een band/zanger die de wereld wil laten weten dat ze een attitude hebben. Late punk wellicht, wel vaak catchy. Het is ook gewoon mijn smaak niet...

Ik was een beetje bang dat dit NSFW was, maar het valt alles mee. Het is prima (ska)punkrock, dat me doet denken aan Less Than Jake door de toeters en Smashmouth door de zanger. Vrij toegankelijk wel. Door de toeters en de manier waarop ze zich kleden, plaats ik dit in de skahoek, en dat is niet de hoek waarin ik punkrock luisterde. Ook dat ze zichzelf van die kinderachtige punkartiestennamen hebben gegeven, vind ik altijd een beetje treurig. Toch wel apart dat ik hier nog niet eerder van gehoord had. On a Rope herken ik wel, waarschijnlijk van een coverversie van een andere punkrockband, ik kan alleen even niet voor de geest halen welke dat dan zou moeten zijn. In ieder geval een bandje dat in plaats van Rocket from the Crypt in de snoblijst had kunnen staan. Want waarom hiervoor is gekozen, terwijl er toch veel invloedrijkere/betere/bekendere punkrockbandjes zijn, dat begrijp ik niet zo goed. Als ik doorklik op de wiki, dan was de zanger de oprichter van Drive Like Jehu, dat ik dan weer via deze snoblijst heb leren kennen en waardeerde met 5 sterren. Het is voor punkrock niet zo interessant of bijzonder en daarom weet ik even niet zo goed hoe ik dit moet waarderen. Maar met het hele genre heb ik toch jarenlang veel plezier beleefd. Laat ik het als voorbeeld van een genre waarderen en alvast wat compensatiepuntjes geven voor de zure broeders.

Mediocre punk that lacks the energy of groups like 7 Seconds and The Descendants. Listenable, but my expectations for "punk" may be to high.

well, that was boring

Fine but not particularly crazy about horns with punk rock

I'm mixed on this one. The riffs are fun and I found myself tapping my foot a lot, but the vocals are rough and offputting to me. I like the music though. 4/5 on riffs alone

14 short , sharp punk bangers that could be from 2 decades earlier. Great stuff....

really not my thing. that post punk era was a weird time, for sure

Ugh.

Nah. This genre is overrepresented. All tense energy and I didn't pick up on much musicality.

I know why Dracula is screaming. I didn't feel like there was a lot of talent or variety here, and I couldn't finish the entire album.

The songs were a bit repetitive...didn't really enjoy it.

This is fun as hell. They don't make records like this anymore. Rock is basically dead, but this baby brings back some pleasant memories of a bygone era. Horn shots, four-on-the-floor blast outs, and some literal edge. Nice. This all being said, it comes across as one sonic glob to me. Not a ton of dynamics. Lots of sameness. Rockin' sameness. But still sameness. Due to the ultimate unremarkability of the record as a whole, despite being perfect to crush miller lites and shoot guns to, this album gets a 3.

A fine album, but not special, and definitely not one of the essential albums of the 1990s. I say this as someone who heard this album when it came out and has "On A Rope" in my regular rotation. The rhythm section of Peter Reichert and Adam Willard is tight. Other solid but not great tracks would be "Ball Lightning", "Misbeaten", "Come See, Come Saw", and "Burnt Alive". That being said, It was no ENEMA OF THE STATE, DOOKIE, or SMASH.

A fun fast album. The drum and bass are really strong!

Not for me. Some friends in high school liked this band and would play it around me now and again, but it never connected with me. I don’t know what it is. A significant chunk of the music I like is dudes with guitars, and this album is dudes with guitars, but I’m not buying what these dudes with these guitars are selling.

Fun time! I was just talking about this band the other day. Isn’t it weird that there was a band called Rocket From the Tombs, and when they split 2 bands formed, and then the same thing (kinda) happened with Rocket From the Crypt? Maybe not. But pretty fun time.

And PUSA isn’t on this list? Really? This was fine. I’d never heard of them and I’m not surprised. Pretty run of the mill. I was between a 2 and 3 on this. I didn’t not like it, so I don’t think it deserves a 2.

This is one of those albums I'd give 3,5 stars if I could. It has great tracks like "On A Rope" and the punkish sound with a use of horns is not as annoying as later music that would turn into Ska-Punk. I do think that the album loses steam here and there.

If this is on here then surely NOFX and Rancid will be, right? Right??

I didnt hear of this band, it doesnt sound bad, it increases the quality across the album. Its interesting 3/5

Nothing special - just loud noise

I kinda dig this. Kind of an interesting makeup, especially with the horns.

++: Ball Lightning, Fat Lip, Misbeaten +: Born in '69, Young Livers, Suit City +-: Middle, On a Rope, Drop Out, Heater Hands, Come See, Come Saw, Burnt Alive -: Used, Salt Future 5,0/10

Some highs and lows. Wouldn't call this a hardcore punk record though

Eh if I want this sound I'll listen to rancid

Absolutely rockin album. I'm not sure how I missed this when it came out. Huge production, moshable riffs, poppy songs. The glockenspiel on Used had me worried that we were going to swerve into Springsteen territory but thankfully that never happened.

I just wasnt in the mood, but they were ok

Listens: 3 Standout tracks: Burnt Alive This seems like pretty standard affair for a Punk album. I have not much to compare it to. I have never heard of Rocket From The Crypt before and I suppose I won't hear from them again unless they have another album in the 1001 albums list. If I were to speculate, I would say that the music itself pulls in influence from the grunge scene, which was occurring in the 90s, as there are a mix of traditional "Punk-y" songs mixed in with some actual singing. It's not excessively thrasher music.

Some solid '90s punk with a creative use of instrumentation. 8.2/10

Boring album. Terrible lyrics and vocal. Musically not good either!

Pretty good rock from a group i haven’t heard of before. Also the band name and album name are both very cool.

I wasn’t Born In ‘69, but I’m also not a Drop Out. This one gave me a Fat Lip!

the typeof music I would hear playing skate

Not what I’d normally listen to, however some songs are bangers. Young Livers reminds me of Rancid / Less Than Jake; very 90s skate punk

Ska Punk Hives

Strange but strangely listenable.

naja, nach dem ersten Lied war mir bewusst, wieso ich die nicht kenne; mir zu punkig

So many times in this challenge, I've thought "Ugh, another punk album" only to be won over a few tracks in. The nature of the genre attracts so many well-meaning bands with the right attitude but nothing particularly new. The standard formula is "Don't worry if you have any talent, just play fast and loud". And it's far too tempting for a lot of bands to do exactly that at the risk of sounding like all of the other dime-a-dozen punk bands out there. Despite this, there are still a ton of great ones out there. Rocket from the Crypt are a great discovery, channeling the energy and style of The Ramones, with more diverse instrumentation, and making it some thing that feels both classic and ahead of its time. The fact that this was released in 1995 feels a bit out of place here. I had guessed, I would have said it was made at least a decade later, pulling on influences from mid to late 90s pop punk, but pulled back slightly into the domain of the 70s punk classics. RFTC aren't the best punk band I've come across, but they're still pretty damn good.

A solid punk album, if nothing revolutionary

Good, but not my thing

Scream, Dracula, Scream is such an amazing album. I already really like punkish sounding albums but even this album goes beyond those lofty standards. The album is of course fast, fun and frenetic and the vocals really do fit these songs well. But the main two things that really steal the show are the guitars and the trumpets. Both elements heavily support the album in very different ways. The guitars are what really carry the album with them being pretty heavy but still keeping the songs really catchy. The trumpets also help differentiate this album from a lot of other punk album by giving this album a more extravagant feel. Not every decision made with this album is perfect but i still absolutely love it. Best Song: Come See, Come Saw Worst Song: Misbeaten

Forgot “On A Rope” existed. This is a solid punk rock album. Enjoyed it.

High energy punk rock. The horns really help make this album. Listened through twice and really enjoyed it.

I don't hate it, but I'm really not feeling ANY of this album. Honestly, to me, it sounds a lot like bands in teen movies from the early 2000's that were supposed to be kinda bad. As in, good enough to not annoy the audience, but bad enough for everyone to understand that the lead singer thinking he's going to become the next rock god is clearly a joke. But I guess that had to come from somewhere.

good listen, nothing stood out too much but I enjoyed the whole thing

I really enjoyed this!

Some other review had it right - it's weird how every song sounds like something that would stand out as kicking ass if it was played on the radio, but as a whole album, this just sounds very same-y. Very reminiscent of Monster Magnet. With slightly less testosterone and a bit more polish.

Rock. I was kinda getting a punk vibe from this one. It grew on me. I’d like to give it another listen.

It's like someone was playing musical telephone, and someone explained REM and was told to write their music with a red crayon on the wall of a moving elevator while bouncing on a trampoline.

it was mid. some all right parts but not for me

Giving this a 3 because I couldn't figure out if I liked this or not. I don't even know what to say about this album to be honest. It seemed fine, but nothing really stood out to me as being memorable. Oh well.

This was actually nice

The first half of this album was pretty meh. I even contemplated hitting stop and moving on because I was so disinterested. The 2nd half was definitely better, with some really enjoyable songs. Even with the 2nd half rebound, it should not be on this list when there are better 90’s punk bands out there.

Initial impression sounds like the Hives with a little bit of mid nineties Ska trumpet. Strokes and Foo Fighters intros?

I thought the album cover was really cool. Only a few songs were good. Mostly mid.

Me parece bastante raro que en el libro se califique al típico punk-pop de los 90 (véase Offspring, Green Day) como un estilo lleno de "nostalgia setentera", cuando precisamente se trata de la versión más destilada y comercial del punk que uno se pueda imaginar. Y que inmediatamente después lo traten de "poco respetable" es de lo más contradictorio. Pero, siendo honestos, este álbum tampoco difiere mucho de aquel estilo noventero manido. Puede que sea un poco más interesante musicalmente, con composiciones más complejas (aunque tampoco es que el listón estuviera muy alto) y la inclusión de vientos que a veces le dan un toque ska. De hecho, me ha recordado a Tiger Army, un grupo al que le tengo bastante cariño. Pero no deja de ser un producto de su época, además de formar parte de un estilo que nunca me ha atraído mucho y de ser demasiado largo. No es mal álbum, y me alegro de haberlo escuchado (no conocía a Rocket From The Crypt), pero no me parece que merezca un puesto en esta lista.

I mean it's nice to listen to, but what the hell is this Album doing in this list/book?

This sounds similar to music that I listen(ed) to and have a nostalgic fondness about. Despite that I could not get into this album. Some of the songs were on the verge of being catchy but it never got to that point.

I loved this when I was 15, now I’m sadly, significantly older than 15 I can see it’s a bit repetitive. On a rope is great everything else is ok

Way better than I thought it was going to be! Loved it!

its okay. a little bit underwhelming

40k monthly listeners on Spotify for a reason

I mean, 3 stars just cuz I don't love punk.

- hat mich weitestgehend kalt gelassen, obwohl ich am Anfang noch dachte, dass es ein auf meinen Geschmack passendes Album sein könnte - irgendwie wars mir dann aber zu langweilig - die letzten Lieder haben dann doch nochmal etwas aufgedreht 2,75/5

..

Yep, that's pretty much a hardcore record.

The name turned me off but they were not nearly as hard as this would suggest. More Smash Mouthy and Ska

Surprisingly listenable and fun. Reminds of supersuckers. would definitely listen to this again

For an album from 1995, this sounds like the pop punk albums of the late 2000's. And that's not a good company to be in. meandering lyrics over unfitting music isn't such a great sound for this kind of music.' it's an okay record, not great, not terrible. 3/5

Hyvä levyn nimi, ja erittäin vuosituhannenvaihteelle tyypillisen näköinen kansi! Levy oli itseasiassa paljon tylsempi kun ajattelin. 2/5

Ihan menevä levy, mutta eipä sen enempää. 3/5

headbangin' pop-punk rock. many songs have an energetic roadside big band sound, i wouldn't call it ska but the brass that comes in here and there is similar to what you'd hear in that genre. it's not winning awards but i was movin' along the whole time. i could listen to this on the radio and keep it playing all the way through. these guys are showoffs in their act, and i'm guessing that if these guys performed live they would get the crowd jumping in seconds.

3/5. It's giving a mix of Elvis Costello and King of Leon as well as some Ramones, with Ska. It's a pretty neat collection of songs and it has a pretty fun uplifting vibe. Musicianship is not crazy but they are having fun. The lyrics I think are the downside of this. It doesn't have to be super intelligent or meaningful, but I don't even think they are silly or wild enough. It still was pretty fun though. Best Song: On A Rope, Drop Out, Young Livers

There is something to geek out about in every song. Great grooves and hooks. Really cool use of horns for adding texture to guitar riffs.

Never heard of this group or album. There are songs on here that I could listen to again if I was in the right mood. Elements in some of these songs are interesting. The horns popping up in some of these songs are a nice and unexpected touch. I can kind of understand the appeal and why this would make the list. I don’t see myself putting this whole album on again though. 2/5

Why the hell is this on the list? Punk Ska? Nah man i'm cool. This might be it for somebody else. but DEFINITELY not me

Meni je ovo prosječan garage punk daleko od bilo kakve antologije, ali ajde sjetio sam se da je bend postojalo 😃

Some good punk right here.

OK

ass cheeks bro I can’t get behind this music, im sorry

Started this, didn’t finish it but was pleased

I wouldn't say that this is a bad album, but I don't think that it makes the list on its own merits. It seems more like a showcase of some punk-adjacent genres in which the list is otherwise light. It's got a bit of edge to it, and the album works when that edge cuts, but it isn't consistent. Which is a lot of words to say: it's fine, I guess.

Loved it!

It's not trash, but it's a bit tedious. Apple Music has it listed as "pop" but I would categorize it more as post-punk, or 90s pop-punk. It's really not terrible, and I can see why people would love it, but I don't hugely love any of the genres this would potentially fit in, so the best I can give it is a hearty "meh."

Very good, definitely reminds me of the era!

Meh

A mix of psychobilly, punk and ska, but a very watered down mix. Punk rock should never be boring.

Not bad - good energy level but it kinda does the same thing for the whole album so it eventually gets lost. I still like their sound tho.

another band I'd not heard of - decent American punk

didn’t catch me as a studio album, but i’d imagine it’s quite an experience to see live.

surprisingly solid

cool stuff, considering it's first time i am hearing of this band.

I did not use a private spotify session for this one. Straight forward rock, had issues with the singer's voice and nothing else really stood out to me.

It had potential, but it’s weak

I didn't expect to like this based on the title, the band name or the cover. And the first few notes almost killed it - but I persisted and mostly enjoyed the high paced, crashing and bashing with dark lyrics and surprising musicianship.

Anemic punk flavored rock with touch of ska to sound "edgy". John Reis should have stuck with Drive Like Jehu.

Just taken as punk edged party rock with horns it’s a pretty fun record. But nothing that drove change or influenced the direction of rock/pop

Good 90s punk. I enjoyed when the horn section showed up.

I enjoyed listening to this one. I'll play it again.

Albums like this force me to take a step back and think "1001 albums, that's a lot. They aren't all going to be incredible." After forcing myself to think about that, I then try to look at the album in question as a time capsule. The problem for me with this albums is primarily that there are better punk records before 1995, during 1995, and after 1995. The inclusion of this album here is surely a product of there being a lot more, better, punk rock albums making up the 1001. I better see at least two Bad Religion albums in here, or the placement of Scream, Dracula, Scream makes even less sense. As a standalone album, this one is fine. 2.5/5 really, nothing super special, but nothing objectively wrong with it. Some punchy drums, some great bass lines, a few catchy riffs, lyrics are okay, vocals are fine. It's 1995 punk rock, a few tracks for Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, and a few tracks to play over a movie to show that the characters being portrayed are angsty teens. Doesn't do too much outside of what I've written above. Final score for me is a soft 3/5.

I didn't really get this album. It seemed fun at first, but then it just kept going, and I was left wondering why it needed to be on this list 3/5

Das Album beginnt so gut, der ganze Rest danach ist leider sehr sehr durchschnittlich

first listen pretty great

Pretty good

Nothing special!

On a Rope is a catchy song. The first half of the album is good and I enjoyed it. On a Rope, Young Livers, Drop Out and Used are good tracks. My biggest issue with this album is the songs just aren't that good as a whole. I like the inclusion of sax and strings on many of the songs, as that separates them from other punk bands without steering too far into ska territory. It's about the songs though. I felt like half of the album or so failed to engage me with the music and they just simply aren't that strong, no matter how different the sound may be at times. The overall sound was different but the songs did run together for me towards the end. This is a typical "3" album for me. Good but not good enough for me to listen to it again.

This one was fun. This album makes me think of every 90s early 2000s teenage drama show I watched. Malcom in the middle, king of queens, all of them.

Solid, though leaned into the samey territory a bit for me. Good energy, fun instrumentals and vocal work! 'On A Rope' is an incredibly simple but engaging song. Definitely my fave from the lot!

Decent listen.

Completely grating. Nothing interesting. How is this on the list? Will never, ever, listen to this again.

Ahhh a band I have heard of but had no clue what they sounded like. I thought more indie than punk. I’d say they are leaning strongly into the full fledged punk sound with splashes of hooks that pop punk bands rely heavily upon. The songs roll through fast making it seem like one of those bands that whip through a 10 song set in concert before acknowledging the crowd. Choice cut: On a Rope

I rather liked Scream, Dracula, Scream! With its release squarely in the mid nineties, this album isn't the rough-around-the-edges punk from the seventies. Make no mistake, this album is punk but there's also alternative and pop. For Rocket from the Crypt's first release on a major label, the lyrics were creative and unusual, definitely worthy of attention. Also, I absolutely love the band name and the album title.

This was better than I thought it was going to be. Definitely late stage punk, but being a mid-90s album, it had that 90s alternative flair. At times, I heard a bit of Smashing Pumpkins-esque stylings here. Not sure if this needed to be on here, but considering the 90s alt element, I was pretty much here for it on a base level.

whip wiggers until they start making music like this again

the inclusion of horns here is pretty interesting and unique for a punk-ish (non-ska) band but really most of this album i could take or leave. there are some really interesting callbacks to 60s rock here, like in 'used' and 'misbeaten,' but really i find this album is trying to do too much in too many directions for me to really appreciate any of it. one minute it's a bashy punk song, the next minute it's a 60s sunshine pop song. don't know what the vision was here. feels too incoherent. still, it's a fine enough album, but i wasn't into it too much.

It was enjoyable. Some good ole American Punk rock!

Weird stuff but has it’s moments, ok for a 2

I could hear a lot of other bands in this album. Not super innovative or anything, but I wouldn't turn them off.

Apple Music says that Rocket From The Crypt are pop music, which may be the wrongest genre tag I’ve seen so far. They remind me quite a lot of Pennywise, being the more modern take on punk music (when compared to 70s punk) without any of the pop sensibilities found in other bands that are known as punk. This was a fun, high energy album that I quite enjoyed. It wasn’t overly produced, but also wasn’t too messy. it’s just a good slap in the face of punk music!

- Band name and album title hint at goth metal. Bit surprised to hear heavy pop-punk with ska influences. - "Used" is the best track. "On A Rope" and "Young Livers" are strong, too. - Would have definitely not minded if this came on the radio in high school, but I doubt I would have ever sought it out. A bit too standard fare for that. - Speedo on lead vocals sounds like the progenitor of Jacoby Shaddix from Papa Roach.

3.3 Pretty ok 90s punk. Didn't hate any of the tracks but didn't love any of them. I'm not entirely sure it's inclusion on the list, maybe something I need to read up on. Can think of many similar genre albums not on here that definitely should be over this.

Not really for me. Shouty but somehow didn't really feel the energy that typically accompanies this type of music. Probably the first album on this list that was truly a slog to get through. Largely forgettable post punk with a couple of decent tracks ("Come See, Come Saw," for example)

Like most people I know on a rope but that's about it. Album is ok, very samey but I think with repeated listens it would grow

Excellent album, highly recommended! The writing and lyrics here are unmatched.

Starts with regular punk slop, but further into the album they get much better. Especially with the last song, it is really good. I dig these whiny vocals

They thought they could compose 3 songs and then sell a 14 song record with only those 3? Clever

This is a really cool and energetic punk album. It's impressive how it manages to maintain a high level of energy for so long!

This is rock n roll and it’s meant to be played at extremely loud levels.

While it's not horrible in my eyes like a lot of the punk records that I've gotten on here, it's not one that I'd revisit. It seems like these guys actually care about playing cohesively with each other and tried their best. This album doesn't feel sloppy, and they should get credit for that. I didn't have a moment where I felt like I was listening to this just to get to the end. Good job boys.

totaja yksi tärkeimmistä bändeistä koskaan. mutta mitä enemmän, paljonkin enemmän kuin tärkeys niin ehkä KUULUISIN suosituin ja paras bändi niinku ikinäääää!!! kuka ei olisi kuullut ROCKET FROM THE CRYPT nimisestä bändistä.. lyhennelmä RFTC... jos oot vihanen niin tekstaa vaan RFTC... kaikki tietää heti mitä tarkottaa.. hei mul oli vitun paska päivä, tuntuu niin RFTC... ja kyynel tulee silmään koska olet selvästi niin agressiivisella hirmutuulella.. tulen heti paikalle syleilemään.. rauhottelemaan.. drakulaaa... h uuda... huuda... HUUUUUDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA HUUTAAAAAKAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAALRIIIIIIIIIGHT AAAAAAAALRIGTHTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT AAALLLLLLLLLRRRRRRRRIIIIIIGGHTTTTTTTT!!!!!!!! fat lip

Not too bad

Enjoyed. Good guitar work. Better than The Offspring for sure.

Enjoyable

High energy, catchy, musically risky, decent lyrics, I mean, what’s not to like?

Very little of this desperately-trying-to-get-commercial-attention "punk" rock did anything for me. I guess it was a breath of fresh air amid all the grunge an alternative rock in the mid 90s.

A few really strong songs keep this record from ultimately collapsing under its own weight - “On A Rope” being the prime example. Rocket From The Crypt don’t know whether they should stick to their hardcore roots or fully embrace the commercialization. The result is a weird middle road - one that I don’t hate, but it’s weird nonetheless. I read a bit about their live performances; I wasn’t around to see that, but I rate them higher than this.

I would have been 21 when this came out, but I've never heard of it. It's hard rock with some punk vibe. Wikipedia has "hardcore punk" as a genre. I don't know if I'd go that far. The vocalist has a screamy voice, so maybe that's it. It was fun, maybe not amazing. Could have used a couple of guitar solos in my opinion. I am putting it on this list to hear again.

I lived in San Diego for a spell and loved the local music scene. Every bar had a poster for these guys. The love is well deserved.

I dug the songs with horns. The rest was pretty forgettable

Better than I thought it would be. Sounds better than a lot of bands like this.

Fanns väl någon låt eller två som var okej men det var enbart för att de påminde om andra, bra låtar.

How did this get on the list

I was dreading this based on the name of the band and the album, but it turned out to be pretty fun

One of the pleasant surprises from this list, never heard of the band in my life and expected it to be crap based on the cover art of what looks like Word Art next to a GettyImages photo of a scorpion. Don't judge an album by it's cover, i suppose Not far off giving this 5* but I'm not a massive fan of the vocals, and a bit of pacing would help. Really love the energy and spirit though, it's a riot for its running time. The inclusion of brass in some tracks give it a bit of a ska-feel and reminds me of something like Reel Big Fish.

one banger

It sounds like the music I listened to when I was 14. I do not know if that's a good or a bad thing.

Faust IV

You don't hear much brass in punk music. Tracks like Young Livers and Drop Out incorporate it fairly well, though at the cost of the music sounding a bit staged. Non-spontaneous. Which sort of goes against the "point" of the genre. That being said, I actually enjoy it more than most punk on this list – at least on the scale of individual tracks. After 40 minutes of this nonsense, the high energy becomes pretty tiring to sit through, and you can find yourself counting the remaining minutes. In other words, the "album flow" isn't very good. I could see myself listening to individual tracks here as part of a mix, but not the album in its entirety, in the future. There's a lot of "drunken chorus" singing, which is pretty enjoyable if only to serve as a contrast with the bad lead vocalist. The guy sounds like an unreasonably low-effort Axl Rose. The lyrics of Ball Lightning are stupid. Normally I ignore the lyrics, but not when they're this egregious. Around this point in the album, I started paying more attention, allowing me to notice gems like these: "Well, come see, come saw, come cruelty / When it's hungry it's gonna fight, gonna fight, or gonna bite / And it chalks up one so hasty" "Want some cheese with your whine?" "I can't believe it's not butter, but it's sour / Learn blow by blow / What does fat lip know?" Yeah. Not exactly poets, these guys. 2/5 Key tracks: On A Rope, Young Livers, Misbeaten

I can't remember a single thing about this album, and I listened to it twice! I'd normally say that I'm grateful for the experience of listening to new music, but it's hard to when I never even had an experience to begin with.

Really liked it.

J - 2 S - 2

Kinda enjoyed this, for what it was.

Better than expected but much more boring than I thought. Punk after punk, that's just nothing. There may be a few good punk epigones, but the "Rockets" aren't one of them.

Not my type of music

I’m honestly surprised this album slipped through the cracks for me back in the ’90s. It’s a perfect mix of punk, garage rock, and some excellent trumpet and saxophone work. Just to be clear, this isn’t ska—the core rhythm is driven by straightforward punk and rock beats, not the offbeat “skank” rhythm typical of ska. The horns here are more of a rock embellishment, adding flair without taking over. Overall, the album is raw, gritty, and energetic, but it’s also light and easy to digest. It has plenty of catchy hooks that stick with you.

I wasn’t expecting the horns to be used as much as they were. Nice touch.

You can't appreciate somewhat bad music until you hear REALLY crappy music like Birthday Party. There were a few headbangers on this one.

I have never heard this before, it's not bad at all. Reminds me of a band that would open for another bigger band in the 90's. Really good, just never caught on. I'm sure if I heard this when it came out I would have liked it and probably bought the album.

Rocket from the crypt: Rips and roars, hoots and hollers, but in the end it seems a decent bit more noise than heat or light. Likably raffish and the commitment to brevity is wholly commendable. The nice-touch horns and here-and-there harmonies do not prove ultimately redemptive. “Young Livers” and “Used” are best cuts, and the second half of the record seems better than first. Though a little later and more polished, this sounds like an apotheosis of a certain wild, grit-centric style and rockabilly-inflected strain of indie rock circa late-’80s to mid-’90s reminiscent of Dash Riprock and Fetchin Bones among other lesser known practitioners and maybe Superchunk and Smithereens among the more polished and popular. Rounding up because one misses those days and was inspired to go down some rabbit holes.

top album...

mid

This kind of music was done better in 1977.

Not bad, not great, but not bad.

2.5

RFTC was a criminally underrated band, deserving the same attention that was given to other Punk bands of the early 90's like Green Day, The Offspring, and Rancid. This album, however, was the beginning of their slide towards total obscurity. "Circa Now!" would have been a much better choice for this list. The move to a major label for this record did them no favors. They became lost in mess of Ska-Punk bands (even though they themselves were not Ska-Punk, but simply a Punk band with horns) whose greatest achievements were features in Tony Hawk video games. A half-star is taken away because the name of the band is a confusion-inducing reference to Cleveland's Proto-Punk band, Rocket From The Tombs.

All the hallmarks of 90s pop punk. Not my thing, but it's well done, I guess.

great did not finish yet

Perfect album. Rock at full blast. Long live the Swami.

Hell yeah! The epitome of '90s post-punk rock 'n' roll! And I mean that as a compliment. Fell in LOVE with this band with the release of Circa Now, and this was such a great follow up. This band gives some of the best live performances I've ever witnessed and this album really captures the power and energy those live sets deliver.

If I was still 16, still heavily into the punk scene and still taking most of my cues about ✨good tastes✨ from the older hardcore kids and record store clerks and the back of Alternative Press, I would’ve stumbled upon this moderately popular album and never shut the fuck up about how it’s an underrated masterpiece that should be appreciated on the level of Punk in Drublic or …And Out Come the Wolves. Hell, I probably would’ve even had less tact and said it’s better than Enema or Dookie. And honestly, it’s shocking that I didn’t come into contact with Rocket From The Crypt earlier, given the Angels and Airwaves *and* Drive Like Jehu connections, but then again, I was the kind of girl who said dumb shit like, “No Doubt is better than Op Ivy.” Because I lacked tact, because I was 16, and because I never really understood the appeal of ska. There’s a ton to love about Scream, Dracula, Scream!, even if it’s not really on the level of a ✨true✨ punk classic. First off, the drums are goddamn flawless, and have such a nuanced feel to them; what sounds like just a basic bass-snare 1-2 with hard cymbal hits actually has some really smart yet not-distracting fills, and the drums overall are really balanced in the mix. The same actually goes for the guitar playing, which crams in a lot of chords without feeling like it’s constantly shifting, and it feels less punk and more classic rock. It helps a ton that this is really well-produced, and I picked up a lot of the details after multiple listens. Mix that in with the light-touch of a horn section to ska it up just a smidge, and the gritty vocal energy, and there’s a lot to love about this record, and Rocket From the Crypt in general. There are a few glaring issues, though. For one, Scream, Dracula, Scream! goes on for wayyyy too long. 14 tracks is a lot for punk album that isn’t a pure hardcore, in-and-out-in-17-minutes thing. It would benefit a ton from a trimming. Nothing massive, just like, a song here and there. The two worst tracks I think are towards the backend, “Misbeaten” and “Salt Future,” but I also think there’s a good amount of “decent, not special” songs like “Young Lives,” “Burnt Alive,” and “Fat Lip” that could be considered for the cut. But even with a bit off the sides and a straightened neckline, I don’t know if I’d say this is a masterpiece. Rocket From The Crypt can write very good songs, and have some clear hooks throughout this record, but none of them ever reach that truly transcendent level of so many pop-punk hits. Especially when those hooks are eclectically buried outside of a chorus, and are something more a riff tangent, bass line, or horn line. And while the production *is* great, it’s also very ‘90s, pushing the red and chaotically overwhelming your ears. Even though I ended up overall enjoying Scream, Dracula, Scream!, it’s still one of those records where I can envision a better version of what could be: more refined, more essential, more impactful, more hard-hitting. That doesn’t mean it’s lacking any of those things, just that they’re at a strong 7, a light 8, racking up points but never delivering a KO. And sure, a TKO counts, but it’s not as bombastic as it could be, y’know? Rocket From the Crypt crosses the finish line with a positive score from me, but I’m also very much the target audience here. I can look past its flaws. I’m not 16, though, so even though I like it, I get that’s a ✨me✨ thing specifically; I won’t sit here and argue it’s an underrated masterpiece. It’s pretty great for what it is, and I’m glad that *I* personally heard it before I die, but there’s so many other punk-esque albums from this era that are more deserving of a spot that I can’t in good faith say it belongs in the pantheon of essential punk records. But if this type of stuff is typically your jam, you’ll definitely be receptive to this.

I have heard two songs from this album from Rocket from the Crypt before. What I did not know before is that frontman John Reis founded this band and Drive Like Jehu at the same time. I already enjoyed Yank Crime from the latter on this journey, though I did temper my expectations here from my understanding that these are two different kinds of punk bands. Where Drive Like Jehu was a post-hardcore outfit with visceral lyrics and complex rhythmic structures, Rocket from the Crypt is the more straightforward "party-vibe" punk band with angsty lyrics, popping guitar riffs, big hooks, and liberal use of horns. I can see why these guys toured with Rancid back in the day. Also like with Rancid, this album goes on longer than it should. I started feeling the length around "Misbeaten", track 10 of 14. That track and a couple of others would have been better left on the cutting room floor. Still, I had a pleasant time with Scream, Dracula, Scream! It's a nice party album to have on during the day and gets a solid recommendation.

Hard rock. Pass

fire

Pleasantly surprised. It’s pretty bland but still consistently good.

The kind of garage scuzz riffola that you can conceivably imagine a bunch of neighbourhood guys rockin' out to in their garage rehearsal space - which is a compliment. I can imagine Europeans liking this - which is not a compliment.

I do really enjoy Rock and metal but this just wasn’t doing it for me.

Powerful, reckless ride with no brakes

Pretty generic punk from my untrained ear. 2.5/5

This was rubbish. It’s gonna be harsh giving it 1 star but it’s not as interesting even as latest 2 stars

Had a great time with this one. Maybe it's the heavy diet of Less Than Jake I grew up on but there isn't much music can't be made better with horns

Another band I had heard of but never heard- I always assumed they were a late 90s alternative/industrial band that would have fit in on The Crow soundtrack. I didn’t dig this.

Enjoyed this a lot more than I expected to! Great, high energy songs. Some interesting riffs and some unique sounds on a few songs.

Worthy of a good listen, the tracks are varied enough to keep one's interest although still have difficulty in making out the vocals. Songwriting, playing and production are good and the general feel of post-punk with musicality works well enough although still too much of the punk in places. Like the variety of the songs and arrangements, would listen again.

Oscillates between cool and lame. On a rope a standout obviously. Ska-ish, punk-ish. 3.5

Not uninspired, vivid, to male.

This had a nostalgic feel to me as ‘On A Rope’ featured on a compilation CD my Dad played on repeat when I was growing up. The rest of this album had much the same vibe as that track, and whilst it’s not my favourite genre, I still enjoyed giving the full thing a listen based on having a soft spot for On A Rope. Actually surprised my girlfriend isn’t into them cause it sounds like her sort of band!

…why is this generic pop-punk here

It was ok

Pretty generic 90s west coast punk, didn't hate it tho

Boring

This was better than I thought it would be. I wouldn't listen to it again, though.

Pretty basic sound didn't really do much for me.

Ik vond het nogal roep muziek

This album sounded like a very average garage band. Every track almost identical. I will never play this album again, absolute shite.

With a few more listens I could probably get into to this a little more, but I’m not sure why I’d bother. There are much better bands doing similar (better!) music from a similar location and time. I don’t see how this album adds anything to this list. Albums from 95 I’d rather have on the list, just for the example; No Doubt -Tragic Kingdom or Silverchair - Frogstomp

Puur genieten

It's ok I guess. Feels a little generic to me. There's a lot of bands that sound like this. Will I listen to again: 5%

Not a single song got my attention.

I've heard of this band but never listened. This was a very fun version of a genre that can very easily become super cringe worthy. I kind of wish that I'd discovered this at 15 because I would've been obsessed. As I am now this was borderline 3/4 but I will go with a 4 for generosity.

I had completely forgotten RFTC, used to own this and their debut Circa, now (may still do somewhere). It is what it is, was not expecting this to come up on this list. When it hits, on a rope etc. yeah it’s good garage rock/post punk with decent hooks, but again surprised it’s an essential must hear(maybe that’s my bias and I don’t give the same weight to things from my youth as “before” my time), nice to revisit all the same.

Solid rock and roll

Super good! I just finished the book Sellout that looks into the rise of punk bands signing to major labels in the mid 90s to early 00s. Rocket doesn’t get their own chapter, but they do get name checked quite a bit. This might not have been a huge band, but they were very influential to the movement.

Bastante divertido. Buen disco para poner por las mañanas y agarrar buena y potente pila. Me gustaron sus arreglos trompetosos, le dan una onda padre.

Not good.

Given how much I enjoyed Drive Like Jehu, I'm excited to see where this goes. Common guitarist between the two bands -- and this is where he ultimately decided to focus attention. Out of the gate this feels a bit more formulaic and "clean" than DLJ. Still punky, but a bit with a significantly more alternative lean. Vocals and horn presence skew almost ska, which I'm not loving. On a Rope is the first song that commands any real attention. More due to the tightness of the marching riff than anything else. This was without a doubt the single most disappointing listen on this list so far. I loved the project from DLJ and figured that whatever Reis decided to abandon it for had to be equally if not better in quality. Perhaps to some this is; however, for me this was textbook mediocrity. Sure it is polished up and assembled into a form that probably had broader appeal at the time, but for me this rendition abandons almost every part that I loved for DLJ. Where the last album was raw and visceral, this was polished and neat. I understand different outlets bread different music, but this was wholly unsatisfying. 2 / 5.

On a Rope was pretty catchy. Rest of it was above average punk.

This was some really original sounding punk with the horns that were in it, was like Ska-Punk. Singer was also definitely different than most punk singers. There were some fun songs in here that got me bopping. Again really liked the addition of the horns it added a nice wrinkle. This is on the high side of a 3

Some songs were alright with the horns but this just feels like boring and flat punk mostly with a terrible voice.

Hanging on a rope, on a rope, on a rope around my neck so i dont have to listen to anymore of this album.

this album is terrific. It’s got all you want from a punk rock record: the attitude, the raw guitar riffs, the high energy tempo. And they give you a bonus horn section https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-scream-dracula-scream?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web