Reviews (page 2 of 8)
Would be good live
A little long. And kind of repetitive only because of its length. But also more creative. Really enjoyed it.
i like how short they are, its so fun
Classic
Ooo! Fun! I can't quite give it a 5 but this is a classic. Jackass theme song! So many great quick punk jams. Actually, I'm giving it a 5. See ya!
These guys were like the Guided by Voices of punk--short, collage-like songs that make a quick impression,then get out quickly. I love the range and eclecticism on this. And, lyrically, it's a kind of stream of conscious approach but it really works (especially on a song like "Political Song for Michael Jackson to Sing"). I had never heard this album before other than "History Lesson-Part II" and really enjoyed it. I feel like I have to listen to it again to appreciate its weird little detours and diversions.
One of the most important bands in the history of indie. They basically defined the genre with their econo-jamming, building a cult following without the major label. They also just sounded great together, especially Mike Watt's insane bass skills and D Boons really unique guitar approach. I also love the anti-capitalist messages of a lot of these songs. Minutemen inspired a generation of DIYers with this one
Restless, scrappy, and smarter than it has any right to be. Rating: 4.7/5 Short Review: This album feels like three friends sprinting through ideas without stopping to polish them. Punk, funk, politics, philosophy, and heart all smashed together into something alive and unpredictable. Favorite Track: History Lesson Part II. Short, sharp, and weirdly emotional.
Much funny, such fast. Amazing!
I indeed CAN drive 55. Three 5 stars in a row. RIP D. Boon….Watt 4ever!
It's fun!
I would love punk so much more if more punk albums captured the sound of this album. Groovy punk is not something I ever realized existed, and now I can't get enough. A really fun album for the whole runtime, and has a solid blend of energy, politics, and fun that makes for a great album. Top tracks: Theatre Is The Life of You, Viet Nam, The Glory of Man, History Lesson Part 2
Raw, Punchy, Minimalistic. Definitely worth listening to!!
erfrischend, melodiös, toller sound! und weil die songs kurz sind kann man auch zwei davon auf die playliste nehmen. einmal mehr: entdeckung!
When I opened this up this morning I yelled "YES!" Confession: since I wasn't really into punk at the time, I've only recently been catching up on the stuff that came out in the 80s while I was listening to New Wave and my old prog records. So, I've only had a copy of this record for a couple of years, and have come to really like it. It's great for driving around - just an all-around propulsive record, consistently good. My favorite track is "Jesus and Tequila," but the whole thing is great, 5/5
I fuck with this crazy style
Political and weird, just the way I wanted a band I was part of to be.
Surpreendente. Um álbum de 43 faixas que não é maçante de ouvir. Um álbum repleto de faixas curtas e que mesmo assim não parece deslocado ou dissociado. Um álbum de Hardcore mas que executa instrumentalizações análogas à Jazz. Um álbum surpreendente! A duração e o número de faixas podem assustar, mas não se preocupe. O álbum é brilhantemente sequenciado, com cada lado sendo associado à um membro do trio, e o último lado sendo os “restos”. Dessa forma, mesmo com o exacerbado número de canções, o álbum consegue te manter entretido e ouvindo atenciosamente. É preciso mencionar que esse disco escapa de todos clichês de álbuns Punk ou Hardcore. Ele realmente expande os horizontes e permite uma instrumentalização bem mais requintada. Por isso minha comparação com Jazz, comparação essa que é bem comum, e pode ser observada principalmente nas linhas de baixo de Mike Watt. A forma com que D. Boon toca guitarra também complementam essa sensação que o disco passa, o som de sua guitarra aqui é “leve”, por falta de outra forma de expressar, não é um som pesado. Ela parece uma bailarina dançando em cada faixa, e às vezes, ela serve de backup singer, é bem legal. Sinceramente, o que mais me pega nesse disco duplo é o quão divertido ele realmente é. Não só por suas composições, mas pelo fato que os próprios integrantes do grupo parecem se divertir enquanto gravam essas canções. Gravações essas que são puras, sem adornos, um grupo raíz. A verba para gravar o álbum era propositalmente mísera, e com esses hábitos econômicos a banda conseguia lucrar bem mais durante suas turnês. Inteligente. Tudo muito bom. Os solos são ótimos, o baixo sempre mantém as faixas em constante movimento, ele parece até mesmo cantar (na verdade, é o tipo de disco que só de ouvir dá vontade de tocar), a percussão é sólida, e os vocais são caricatos, como de se esperar de um trio Punk, e eu honestamente gosto das letras. Em suma, um disco patrício. Leitura obrigatória para todos, especialmente para aspirantes músicos! 5/5
this is kinda sick Will I listen to again: 100%
A glowing ray of light after having to endure The Darkness (both literally and metaphorically).
Je me plains souvent. Je râle, je feuillette ce bouquin des "1001 Albums" en soupirant parce que je dois me farcir de la soupe pop des années 80 ou du rock progressif boursouflé qui donne envie de se pendre avec un câble jack. Mais parfois, au détour d'une page, le destin arrête de se foutre de ma gueule et il me balance un truc, un vrai. Aujourd'hui, c'est jour de fête car aujourd'hui, on parle de "Double Nickels On The Dime" des Minutemen. Et bordel, ça fait du bien car c'est juste "Une putain de déflagration". Voilà j'ai résumé l'album en une phrase et je vais m'arrêter là, parce que tout est dit. ..... ..... ..... Mais bon, il faut bien nourrir ce blog et expliquer aux néophytes pourquoi ce disque est probablement l'un des trucs les plus importants jamais pressés sur du vinyle. Reprenons le contexte, on est en 1984 et j'ai 14 ans. À la radio, c'est probablement Wham! ou Phil Collins qui trustent les ondes avec leurs productions léchées qui coûtent le PIB d'un petit pays. Et pendant ce temps-là, à San Pedro, Californie, trois mecs qui ressemblent plus à des camionneurs ou à des garagistes qu'à des rock stars décident de sortir un double album. D. Boon, Mike Watt et George Hurley, trois ploucs magnifiques, trois génies. L'histoire, c'est que les mecs de Hüsker Dü venaient de sortir "Zen Arcade", un double album conceptuel hardcore. Les Minutemen, piqués au vif, se sont dit : "Ah ouais ? Vous faites un double album ? Ben nous aussi. Mais nous, on va le faire mieux, et on va le faire 'Econo'." Econo, c'était leur philosophie. Pas de gaspillage, on va droit au but, on joue, on enregistre, on passe à la suite. Résultat ? 45 morceaux oui quarante-cinq putain de titres. Et pourtant, l'album dure moins longtemps qu'un seul morceau de Yes (j'exagère à peine). C'est ça la magie, c'est de la concision élevée au rang d'art martial. Musicalement, c'est quoi ? C'est du punk ? Oui, mais pas celui des Ramones qui comptent jusqu'à quatre. C'est du funk ? Oui, mais joué par des mecs sous amphétamines qui auraient écouté trop de Captain Beefheart. C'est du jazz ? Dans l'esprit, carrément. C'est un bordel organisé, une collision frontale entre la virtuosité technique et l'énergie brute du punk rock. D. Boon à la guitare, c'est des éclairs de tranchant, des aigus qui te scient les jambes, pas de gras, pas de distorsion inutile. Mike Watt à la basse, c'est le moteur, le cœur battant, un jeu fluide et complexe qui ferait passer Flea pour un débutant (désolé pour les fans des Red Hot, mais vous savez que c'est vrai, d'ailleurs ils ont dédié "Blood Sugar Sex Magik" à Mike Watt, ce n'est pas pour rien). Et George Hurley... ce mec joue de la batterie comme s'il essayait de résoudre une équation mathématique tout en tombant dans un escalier, et pourtant, ça groove sévère. Ce qui me fascine avec "Double Nickels", surtout quand je repense à mes années disquaire, c'est à quel point ce disque est une anomalie. J'imagine le rayon "Indie Rock" du magasin en 1998. J'ai ce disque en rayon, un gamin arrive, il cherche du Nirvana et je pourrais lui dire : "Écoute, Kurt Cobain adorait ce groupe. Si tu veux comprendre d'où vient l'esprit, c'est là." Parce que oui, "Double Nickels", c'est la matrice, c'est l'anti-rock star par excellence. Pas de costumes, pas de light show, pas de poses, juste trois potes qui jouent comme si leur vie en dépendait. L'album démarre avec le bruit d'un moteur de bagnole qui démarre et c'est symbolique car on part en road trip. Mais pas un road trip glamour sur la Route 66, non, un trajet quotidien, chiant, sur l'autoroute, pour aller au turbin. Le titre de l'album est une blague de camionneur sur le fait de rouler à 55 miles à l'heure (la limite légale de l'époque, le "double nickel") pile sur la ligne. C'est ça, les Minutemen, ils sont ancrés dans le réel. Ils parlent de politique, de la guerre froide, du racisme, de l'histoire, mais aussi de la mécanique, de la bière, de la vie de tous les jours. C'est politique parce que c'est personnel. Il y a une chanson, "History Lesson - Part II", qui me file des frissons à chaque fois. D. Boon chante/parle : "Mr. Narrator, this is Bob Dylan to me / My story could be his songs / I'm his soldier child." Et puis cette phrase, qui est devenue la devise de toute la scène DIY américaine : "Our band could be your life." Notre groupe pourrait être ta vie. Putain, c'est beau. C'est l'essence même du punk, pas besoin d'être un dieu doré sur scène. Tu peux monter un groupe, raconter ton histoire, et ça a autant de valeur que n'importe quel opéra rock. Ce qui est dingue avec ce disque, c'est qu'on ne s'ennuie jamais. Les morceaux font souvent moins de deux minutes, parfois moins d'une. Tu n'aimes pas ce titre ? Pas grave, le suivant arrive dans 30 secondes et il sera complètement différent. On passe d'un funk blanc nerveux à une reprise de Steely Dan (oui, Steely Dan !) jouée sans ironie mais avec une urgence folle, puis à un spoken word délirant, puis à un instrumental acoustique. C'est le zapping avant l'heure, c'est l'époque qui s'accélère, c'est le cerveau d'un ado hyperactif mis sur bande magnétique. Et puis, il y a cette ombre qui plane, cette tragédie. D. Boon qui meurt dans un accident de van en 1985, juste au moment où le groupe devenait énorme, juste au moment où R.E.M. et les autres commençaient à exploser. Si Boon n'était pas mort, le paysage du rock alternatif américain aurait été différent. Les Minutemen auraient pu être aussi gros que les Pixies ou Sonic Youth... Ou peut-être pas, peut-être qu'ils seraient restés ces trois mecs intègres de San Pedro qui refusent de jouer le jeu du business. On ne le saura jamais mais il nous reste ce monument. Ce disque, c'est la liberté absolue, c'est le refus des cases, c'est sale, c'est intelligent, c'est drôle. C'est tout ce que le rock devrait être et qu'il oublie souvent d'être. C'est l'anti-pose. Quand on bossait en radio indé et dans un magasin de disques dans les années 90, on est inondé de promos, de groupes qui essaient de "sonner comme". Les Minutemen ne sonnaient comme personne, ils sonnaient comme eux-mêmes car ils avaient créé leur propre langage, leur propre univers. Écouter "Double Nickels" aujourd'hui, c'est comme ouvrir une fenêtre dans une pièce qui pue le renfermé. Ça fait un courant d'air, ça claque les portes, ça fout le bordel dans les papiers, mais bon dieu que l'air est frais. Alors oui, c'est une déflagration, c'est une bombe à fragmentation où chaque éclat est une petite pépite de génie brut. C'est un disque qu'il faut écouter fort, très fort, en conduisant (en respectant les limitations de vitesse, ou pas, on s'en fout), fenêtres ouvertes. C'est un disque qui te donne envie de prendre une guitare, même si tu ne sais pas en jouer, et de hurler ta vérité dans un micro bon marché. C'est un 5/5 indiscutable. Si quelqu'un me dit qu'il n'aime pas ce disque, je ne peux plus rien pour lui. Je le raye de ma liste d'amis, je lui interdis l'entrée de ma maison, je refuse de lui servir à boire. C'est radical ? Peut-être. Mais comme disaient les Minutemen : "We jam econo". Pas de temps à perdre avec les conneries. Ce disque est un chef-d'œuvre de l'humanité, au même titre que la Joconde ou la recette des pâtes à la carbonara (la vraie, sans crème). C'est brut, c'est vrai, c'est vivant. D. Boon est mort, mais tant que ce disque tournera sur des platines, il sera toujours là, grand, costaud, sautant partout avec sa Telecaster, nous rappelant que la musique, c'est la vie, et que notre vie pourrait être ce groupe.
Game changers, watched the docu after hearing this album
Day676 - fun and influential, long but not bloated. there’s a handful of really good songs and i’m gonna have to get a minutemen t-shirt
At first looking at the album length, I was a little worried. Then I listened and it all came together. Each track is doing something interesting and never outstays its welcome, always giving you something to groove to. You can feel the fun, Dead Kennedys-esque feeling of a group of professionals who love what they do coming into the studio and killing it (a Beastie Boys if they were 50% more capital-p Punk). There's just SO MUCH to like, both in quantity and quality. Also, imagine my surprise when I heard the Jackass theme of all things randomly in the middle of this album. fav tracks: Kind of hard to pick one out, it's all good
RIP Dee Boon. You were too good for this world
I don't know if there is anyway to truly do this justice. Plenty of people on here have already said it's the greatest Minutemen album of all time. Plenty have talked about Mike Watt's bass. D. Boons lyrics are just as great as they have always been. Enough people have pointed out that the album is a tongue in cheek reference to Sammy Haggar's "I Can't Drive 55". Which by the way sucked it may have been he most fuel efficient 'top speed' to travel at but it made getting from place to place by car terrible. Just know this if you like eclectic music and punk rock this album is for you.
One of the greatest punk records of all time!
I’m at a 4.5; I’ll bump it up to a 5 for the site as a vote of confidence, though I do think I’d rather just leave it at a 4.5. 43 tracks, 74 minutes, and the nigh-impossible challenge of making it feel entertaining the whole time. Frankly, it’s a miracle that they basically succeeded for like, 95% of the runtime. This is a fast-paced album, even with the length it has, and I can’t honestly truly say I ever felt a sense of burnout until the final 4 or 5 tracks; not their fault, they’re not bad tracks, the album just starts to get a little long. You can tell why none of the 3 band members picked them for their sides, as they do sort of blend together in more of a less satisfying way. I really am impressed by how much this stayed entertaining; for 1984, this isn’t reinventing the wheel, it’s just showing a very refined form of it. This is post-punk with a slightly hardcore lean at times, but I would say this leans closer to a more “traditional” sense of rock & roll, taking the DNA of the faster-paced albums we’ve gotten (see: “Group Sex” or the Dead Kennedys album we got), combining them with more of a Talking Heads tone & just a touch of the Rolling Stones. All of that is to say, this is more musically thought out, and just a bit more “safe” than your traditional post-punk album. The tracks being pretty short helps a lot too. I do think it’s hard to give any kind of track-by-track analysis here; this album does eventually slowly blur together, even with as much focus as I tried to give it. I don’t think it’s an album for everyone; I can easily see disdain for this being as long as it is, or getting bored by some level of perceived repetition. I don’t think it had to be 74 minutes; there are some tracks that could’ve probably been trimmed out, but at the same time, this album does work like a loosely crafted puzzle. It’s more fruitful to listen to this as one straight 74 minute shot; pausing this at any point will make the mind wander, and I certainly found myself wandering at a few points when I did have to pause. It’s surprisingly coherent, even with 43 tracks, usually keeping the energy up in a similar way. I think you have to buy into this to enjoy it, but even still, I think there is fatigue. I do think this is worth listening to before you die, in the sense that it’s a musical gauntlet that’ll challenge your attention span, but it also stands on its own merits as a really fun listen, especially with how much they manage to pack into a lot of the tracks with such a short time for each. Ultimately, I’m at a 4.5; one I wish I could leave there, but as a vote of confidence for the scale of the project, and for how much they really did keep it entertaining longer than they had any real right to, I think it deserves a bump up to a 5.
Banger.
Known and loved this one for a long time. Great album and so creative, especially for the time. 4.5/5
Man, this was great. You can really hear the influence these guys had on so many other bands, and yet they're such a little known name. I loved all the short quirky songs, the jazzy and funky guitar; the bass, which was clearly a big influence on Flea; the very tight drums, and the vocals, which had a real playfulness to them. The length my hold this one back, as well as the fact that I can't actually hum a single one of the songs (or really remember one) but I want to be generous with this great little album.
Varied but cohesive. Enjoyed the meandering of it and would happily come back to the album again. A surprise new favourite.
Great. Fun & playful. Loved it
This album is pure genius
Dinguerie 6/5
Still relevant and good
This is something that the original list needs more of. It's angular, artsy, nervously off-kilter and intelligent, yet modest and personable in its execution. It gives off the constant impression of only being seconds away from impending collapse, but it never quite does fall in on itself. Lyrically, this is an exhilarating showpiece of the politically charged, progressive themes attributable to punk music, whilst Mike Watt contributes a more unorthodox method of writing through his abstract "spiels". Minutemen were considerably ahead of their time, and their importance to post-hardcore as one of its progenitors cannot be understated. It has as much in common with Talking Heads, Wire, even Captain Beefheart and Frank Zappa as it does with the likes of Descendents, Black Flag etc al. Their run was cut agonisingly short owing to D. Boon's tragic passing, a proper case of "what if" despite already making a seismic impression.
Funky and weird rock, not quite prog rock but definitely something new and jazzy
This was fun. Loud and right on the edge of punk. I enjoyed this!
Love this album, love the Minutemen. They're one of the preeminent embodiments of the punk spirit, as far as I'm concerned.
So fucking good.
"Double Nickels on the Dime" is the third studio album (a double one too) by American punk trio Minutemen. Hardcore punk, post-punk and post-hardcore are the Wiki-listed genres but the album also has elements of funk, country, spoken word and jazz. There's a range of themes too including the Vietnam War, racism in the US, the working class the punk lifestyle. The band was inspired to make a double album by fellow SST labelmates Hüsker Dü's "Zen Arcade." Both albums ended being released on the same date. The bandmembers were D. Boon (vocals, guitar), Mike Watt (bass, vocals) and George Hurley (drums, vocals). The album had wide-spread critical acclaim with one critic calling it "one of the very best American albums of the 1980's." A car starting opens the album and "Anxious Mo-Fo." A funky bass. Idiosyncratic drum beats. A bluesy guitar. Not the punk start you might be expecting. They pick up the pace in "Viet Nam." Faster guitar. A groovy rhythm section. Very Primus like but I actually like this song. "#1 Hit Song" demonstrates with a loud guitar and slower pace, the band had a grungy side before there was grunge. "Corona" has a guitar riff intro and then goes straight cow punk. A country beat with a twangy guitar. He only had a Corona by the beach. D. Boon shows off his pots-punk guitar talent with an urgent guitar riff in "West Germany." A scooting bass and drums. Talking about the separation of East and West Germany. The guitar gets down-tuned in "This Ain't No Picnic." Another post-punk rocker. Punching in and punching out in an 8-hr work day. They take Steely Dan's "Dr. Wu" and make it a country-tinged rocker. The Meat Puppets would be proud. This is a fantastic album. And a lot of an album at that. One thing is for certain, these guys can frickin' play. D. Boon's guitar can be hard rock, jazzy and country but he really shines when its got that post-punk edge. Mike Watt is no less impressive on the bass with a funky, melodic style. Drummer Hurley keeps right there with him. They cover so many styles - rock, post-punk, country, jazz, acoustic classical and even jam band. I heard lots of influences in other bands- Primus, the Replacements, Fugazi, Red Hot Chili Peppers and the Meat Puppets to name a few. I can't believe I'm saying this but every bit the album "Zen Arcade" is. That critic wasn't wrong: surely, one of the best albums of the 80's.
This might be my favorite new album that ive heard in the idk couple hundred records this site/book has shown me. To be fair I knew that I would like this before cause I've liked "Bob Dylan wrote propaganda songs" since I was like 13. Also been a big fan of Andrew Jackson jihad for a good few years and the line "the skatepark is only 15 minutemen songs away" stuck with me a ton for some reason. Im just glad this site made me take the jump. But to the actual music. Its so wildly versatile. Its not just a hard-core punk record. Its got some country twang, some jazzy roots, alt anything too. And it has very in your face lyrics for my inattentive ass, that also have ooo shit ti actually say. And its my favorite hard-core zaz. Absolutely amazing for the whole 80 minutes. Also having 40 some songs on a record by the minutemen is so funny. What's the longest track here? Like 3 minutes? Shit just rules and anyone with a tiny tiny bit of interest in anything contained in this record you need to listen. Today. Now. Do it
What a great record. Post-Hardcore as it should sound.
Yah I didn’t remember this album being 43 damn songs long, but holy shit it FLEW by. There’s so much creativity and inspiration in this album. In a lot of ways this album really feels like an accomplishment for punk music. Not a single song is 3 mins long which is crazy cause this album was made when radio was still important to making money. But like I said this album is so creative and silly that it’s just an absolute joy from start to finish. Despite having 43 incredibly short songs, non of them feel like skips, they all feel important and original (even the ones that are just instrumental interludes). Honestly this album might be like top 3 greatest punk albums of all time. If you like sarcastic and musically inspired punk bands like The Dead Milkmen, you will LOVE this album.
HUGE. The musicianship shines through and makes it possible for these lads to combine multiple genres into new and satisfying songs.
I usually hate large collections of songs, especially when they're shorter, but these guys are fantastic and in a lane of their own. They say a lot more than most do in punk with much less distortion and way better grooves.
Good punk tunes, and enjoyed the mixing with jazz. I will admit, I was a little bit tired of it by the end.
Har hørt den her plade et par gange før men det var først nu den rigtig klikkede. Det er jo den første 90er indie-plade, bare lige lavet 6 år før 90erne startede.
I absolutely loved it, what else can I say? Heavy-handed bass chops charm tf outta me, and the Minutemen’s magic is in dropping 43 unique songs (that do not blend one into the next!) all in under 3 minutes each. That alone feels like a reason to listen before you die.
Thoughts before listening: One of my favorites and an absolute classic. Its everything I love about the 80s Cali punk scene but with stronger musicianship than you would typically find with bands from this scene. Lots of short songs on this one with lots of different ideas and styles that are all done very well. Review: This is just such a unique sound combining the attitude of 80s punk with the musicianship of a great, but loose jazz group. Mike Watt is one of my favorite personalities from the punk world and his bass playing on this out of this world. This is truly unlike anything else out there and is one of my favorite albums ever. The one complaint I have is that with 43 songs it's sometimes a little hard to really know when one song ends and another begins. That being said, it's a 5-star album.
Double Nickels on the Dime is 45 songs across 79 minutes and its fucking sick all the way through. Genuinely astonishing record, the aggression and fast pace (mostly) of hardcore punk, infused with jazz, funk, country and sometimes just plain weirdness. Somehow managed to be extremely diverse in style whilst having a cohesive sound all the way through. The musicianship is brilliant, all three members are clearly fantastic players but Mike Watt in particular deserves praise, if you're a bass player you need to hear this album. I'd not listened to this album for a while and thought I was gonna give it a 4, but fuck it it's a 5. Just a fucking incredible album and fully deserving of its reputation.
This is punk rock gold
I saw the number of tracks and overall length of this album and was a bit weary that a punk album this long might start feeling stale, but after three solid punk songs, Cohesion really came out of left field! Then the drumming on the next track, It's Expected I'm Gone, is tight and jazzy! Somehow with the short track lengths and the mixing of genres and styles, it still feels totally cohesive and very fun. This is the kind of punk music I am here for! I absolutely loved this album and will be returning to it frequently.
San Pedro in the 1980s Very long time ago, almost 40 years Not bad
It rocks
Great punk album, a classic in my mind. Definitely get your money’s worth with this one.
Wow, blown away by this. Great sound, it’s like Wire meets Gang of Four in the 80s, which is alright by me. Can clearly see the influence provided for the later Grunge scene and the late 80s bands like Nirvana and Pixies here too. Amazing approach to an album too, just banging out track after track with nothing really clocking over 2 minutes. Good variety of sounds and vibes too which never gets boring and just makes this a great, great album. I was having a really bad day when I listened too, which usually clouds my judgement and skews me towards the negative, but regardless of that I think this is a solid 5/5 and could go on to become a much-adored album for me on more listens. Standout tracks (to many to name so here’s a few): Viet Nam Do You Want New Wave The Glory of Man June 16th Dr Wu
The first time I heard Double Nickels was in a CD store where it was playing. The music grabbed my attention, and as the songs fired at me I was really getting into it. So, naturally, I had to ask the guy at the counter what it was. And then I had to buy a copy. We've been good friends ever since. I've got several favorite songs (10 to be exact) and still genuinely enjoy the entire album experience. D. Boon's lyrics are smart and funny, with song titles reflecting that mix. It's too bad he died long before I found my way to The Minutemen, but I'm glad he recorded as much music as he could with Watt and Hurley while he was here. Very happy to have an excuse to listen to this again today.
one of the best albums of all time.
Short blasts of punk rock disjointed and fantastic Ditties for rebels
Más de 40 canciones en menos de 75 minutos. Solo es posible si vas al grano y las comprimes en dos minutos o menos. El año de Purple rain (también fue el del Let it be de los Replacements) estos californianos se sacaron de la chistera un doble magistral en respuesta al Zen Arcade de Hüsker Dü, otros que merecen aclamación. Suena igual o mejor que entonces y su legión de seguidores no creo que haya descendido. Viet Nam, God bows to math o The glory of man, por ejemplo, suenan a lo que sonarían años, décadas después Idles o Parquet Courts, lo que da respuesta a su influencia. No hacían punk descrarriado ni hard rock a lo bonzo, no, hacían temas muy buenos y letras con fondo. Lógico que entre sus seguidores se encuentren unos REM o Sonic Youth (colaboraciñon con Watt en Ciccone Youth), pero también otros menos evidentes como los B-52´s (One reporters por ejemplo suena como ellos) y obviamente los Chili Peppers. En realidad los 90 fueron suyos sin ni siquiera estar allí presentes (Corona también ayudó lo suyo) Sin productor, salvo para su participación en el coral Radio Tokyo Tapes, ellos tenían claro qué hacer y cómo sonar. En solo 3 sesiones (2horas en el estudio del Radio Tokyo Tapes) y una sola noche de mezcla. El bajo de Watt es un prodigio, no es que la batería de George o la guitarra de Boon no estén a la altura, pero que es lo de Mike se sale de lo normal. Do You Want New Wave or Do You Want the Truth por ejemplo. NO hay relleno pese a lo abultado del temario: Take 5, D es un ejemplo. De todas se saca algo. The roar of the masses could be farts seguro que fue escuchada por Green Day. Entre el lote hay versiones : Don't Look Now de la CCR o Doctor Wu de Steey Dan, lo que habla de su versatilidad y amplitud de miras en un género muchas veces lastrado por su estrechez: para muestra el fracaso de su posterior Ep Project: Mersh. Sí, sin duda.
Thoroughly enjoyed this. Short, unique songs. Excellent riffs and overall sense of fun. The guitar solos can be exceptional but also lean towards under produced, however that kind of leans to the beauty of it. The skits scattered throughout are a fun break to the otherwise punkish talking Heads type songs. I lean to a 5 because of how fresh and exciting this music it. While not a strong 5
I had expected them to be more hardcore. Brilliant band. Fantastic guitar tone. So many songs. So many ideas. So much variety. I had never heard this before other than the song used for Jackass. This is a masterpiece.
In my top ten. Absolutely brilliant in so many ways. Aged well. I will never get tired of Minutemen and this is their magnum opus.
Surprisingly complex tunes by a trio. Fast punk songs that get to the point, with elements of jazz and funk. Love it.
The Minutemen - the collective noun Len’s 8th wife used for Houmous & Chutney after THAT affair was revealed. The one that nearly split up the band! 4.5
Finally!! Something that has actually wow’d me in a way I would never expect. I’ve heard “Corona” before (Yes of course from MTV Jackass), but would not have been able to tell you who penned that song. The rest of the album is simply kick ass. The fusion of genres but keeping the punk sound is incredible. It’s a jazzy, funked up punk record. The bass really slaps, the drums are right, vocals on point. Really enjoyed this album!!
This is it. This is why I'm doing this. This album is so unbelievably good. I thought this several times as I was approaching 1 hour into this 75 minute album and then I got to There Ain't Shit on T.V. Tonight. Sometimes music just has the sauce, and The Minutemen absolutely have the sauce. I've been exposed to a lot of punk in almost 600 albums and I've like a ton of it, but these guys bring a different level of musicianship to a genre that is typically simple on the musical complexity. The bass is insane, the drums are precise and easy to hear, and the singer/ guitar is plenty sufficient when called upon, like in This Ain't No Picnic. And its unusually well produced for a group that notoriously skimped on recording costs so they could just go out and play. I'm going to need to listen again to pick a favorite, but this will easily make my top 10 of the 600 albums I've got through to date.
fire need to relisten
A stone cold classic.
Oh wow! This is one of my all-time favorite albums by one of my all-time favorite bands. You don't have to twist my arm to get me to listen to the Minutemen. This is their masterpiece. 5/5 Album 31/1001
An absolute classic for good reason, unique punk sound and always has something interesting going on, not to mention the theme song for Jackass is found here
5 out of 5. This is a band that knows how to jam.
Amateurish in the best possible way. Like seeing the best local band in town the night punk gave birth to grunge. Raw, weird, real - and that bass was tits.
Where have this music been all of my life?
Hahah I loved this. Felt weird and angry and nihilistic and fun. I did a double-take when I saw there were 43 tracks (!), but it didn't really drag for me. This right here is a gem.
Mr. Narrator, this is Bob Dylan to me.
Classic punk album with surprises!
I'd been meaning to give this a listen for some time, glad I finally did, it's a great album. Engaging, interesting, varied but still broadly cohesive - loved it!
Classic punk
Insane. Every track is brilliant and as a whole album the effect is amplified. Idk what these guys were having, but I'll take some
For a change this album was surprisingly good and one I had never heard before. It’s a treat to hear how it obviously influenced later bands. Read into the band’s history too and tragic loss of their guitarist hence why this band never really made it big.
Ralph Waldo Emerson & Woodie Guthrie wrapped in punk.
Unpretentious, unpredictable, and full of heart. “Our band could be your life”.
this may be the only exception to my 'no album should be more than an hour' belief. great stuff
Album - Double Nickels On The Dime Artist - Minutemen Release - 1984 Genre - Hardcore Punk/Post-Punk/Post-Hardcore Heard it before? - N I'm a huge fan of the Gang of Four, and yet somehow this album passed me by, like it was going 55 on I-10...But I'm glad I found it here, because it's a proper surprise of an album. The main core of the music is built around Gang of Four's funky punk politics, as mentioned before, but it differs by being much more stripped back and jam-like. There's solos, moments of silence, verses dropping out; I usually prefer structure, but it gripped me nonetheless. The non-punk stuff is also great. They're just as quick as the other songs and add a great element of variety while never feeling like pace breakers. That's an important aspect, especially considering this album's length, but it's another thing it gets right. Even at 1 hour and 15 minutes (I listened to the 43 track version,) I never felt it was dragging on. It earned the length. This is definitely going to become a "lazy sunday" kind of album for me. 9/10
Had forgotten just how good this band were. Great tunes
Good stuff. Took too long for me to come around.
4.5/5
Gorgeous. You’re welcome Fugazi.
When I first saw the song number I let out a big sigh and what the fuck. To my surprise this was extremely enjoyable. Each song is fairly short with a few outliers which makes the album fly by. It also helps that most of the songs are bangers supported by absolute mental musicians. Its like if you combined Black Flag and Dinosaur Jr. which absolutely works. I’d say this might be the most easily accessible punk rock album as its not too heavy and leans into other genres throughout. Jackass theme song! It’s also funny that I only know one song by Minutemen and it’s not even on here. 10/10
## In-Depth Review of *Double Nickels on the Dime* by Minutemen *Double Nickels on the Dime*, released in July 1984, is a landmark double album by the American punk trio Minutemen, consisting of D. Boon, Mike Watt, and George Hurley. This album stands as a testament to the band's innovative spirit and their ability to blend various musical styles while addressing complex themes through their lyrics. This review will delve into the album's lyrical content, musical composition, production techniques, overarching themes, and its lasting influence on music. ### **Lyrics** The lyrical content of *Double Nickels on the Dime* is a rich tapestry that reflects a range of influences and themes. The album features 45 tracks that incorporate elements of personal introspection, socio-political commentary, and anti-establishment rhetoric. - **Political Commentary**: Songs like "This Ain't No Picnic" address issues such as racism and class struggle, showcasing Boon's ability to combine humor with serious topics. The lyrics often reflect a working-class ethos and critique societal norms. - **Personal Reflection**: Watt’s contributions often lean towards abstract and philosophical musings, as seen in tracks like "The Glory of Man" and "My Heart and the Real World". His lyrics draw inspiration from literary works, particularly James Joyce's *Ulysses*, employing stream-of-consciousness techniques that invite listeners to ponder deeper meanings. - **Inside Jokes**: The album is peppered with inside jokes and references that may elude casual listeners. For example, the title itself refers to trucker slang for driving at 55 mph (double nickels) on Interstate 10 (the dime), serving as a playful jab at Sammy Hagar's hit "I Can't Drive 55". Watt later remarked that many listeners missed the humor in their lyrical references, which added to the album's unique character. ### **Music** Musically, *Double Nickels on the Dime* is groundbreaking for its eclectic mix of genres. The band defied conventional punk rock boundaries by incorporating elements from jazz, funk, country, and spoken word. - **Genre Blending**: The album showcases a fluidity in its sound that is rare for its time. Tracks like "Cohesion" exhibit flamenco influences while "Corona" incorporates mariachi sounds. This genre-blending approach was not merely stylistic; it reflected the band members' diverse musical backgrounds and interests. - **Song Structure**: The Minutemen moved away from traditional verse-chorus structures prevalent in punk music. Instead, they adopted a more freeform style that allows for improvisation and spontaneity. This is evident in tracks like "Shit From an Old Notebook", which captures raw energy and creativity. - **Instrumentation**: The interplay between Boon’s guitar work, Watt’s bass lines, and Hurley’s drumming creates a dynamic soundscape that is both intricate and accessible. Their musicianship is characterized by tight rhythms and sharp melodic lines that complement the lyrical content. ### **Production** Produced by Ethan James at Radio Tokyo Studios in California, the production of *Double Nickels on the Dime* reflects a DIY ethos typical of the punk scene but elevated through creative ambition. - **Minimalist Approach**: The production emphasizes clarity over polish, allowing the raw energy of the performances to shine through. This approach captures the immediacy of their sound while maintaining an authentic feel. - **Recording Process**: The band recorded the album in two sessions over several months. Their method involved quick takes to preserve spontaneity, resulting in an album that feels vibrant and unrestrained. ### **Themes** Thematically, *Double Nickels on the Dime* explores a variety of subjects that resonate with listeners on multiple levels. - **Working-Class Experience**: The lyrics often reflect a deep connection to working-class life in America. Through their narratives, Minutemen articulate frustrations with societal expectations and economic struggles. - **Community and Collaboration**: The album embodies a sense of community within the punk scene. Collaborations with contemporaries such as Henry Rollins (from Black Flag) highlight this collective spirit. It serves as both a product of its environment and an homage to fellow artists. - **Cultural Commentary**: The Minutemen tackle cultural issues ranging from consumerism to personal identity. Songs like "History Lesson – Part II" provide poignant reflections on historical figures while critiquing mainstream narratives. ### **Influence** The impact of *Double Nickels on the Dime* extends far beyond its initial release. It has become a seminal work within punk rock and alternative music circles. - **Inspiration for Future Artists**: Many musicians cite this album as a pivotal influence in their artistic development. Its commitment to experimentation over commercial success has inspired countless bands to explore new sounds and approaches. - **Legacy of DIY Ethos**: The Minutemen's dedication to authenticity and their rejection of mainstream conventions resonate with contemporary DIY artists who seek to create meaningful music outside commercial constraints. - **Cultural Relevance**: As socio-political issues continue to evolve, many themes present in *Double Nickels on the Dime* remain relevant today, making it an enduring piece of art that speaks to new generations. ### **Pros and Cons** #### Pros - **Innovative Sound**: The blending of genres creates a unique auditory experience that challenges traditional punk norms. - **Lyrical Depth**: Richly layered lyrics offer profound insights into personal and societal issues. - **Cohesive Yet Diverse**: Despite its eclectic nature, the album maintains cohesion through thematic unity. - **Cultural Significance**: It stands as an important milestone in punk history, influencing countless artists across genres. #### Cons - **Accessibility Issues**: The use of inside jokes may alienate some listeners who do not grasp all references. - **Lengthy Format**: At over 80 minutes with 45 tracks, some may find it overwhelming or difficult to digest in one sitting. - **Experimental Nature**: Those accustomed to conventional song structures may find some tracks challenging or less engaging. ### Conclusion In summary, *Double Nickels on the Dime* by Minutemen is not just an album; it is a cultural artifact that encapsulates the spirit of innovation within punk rock while addressing complex themes through its lyrics. Its blend of genres, lyrical depth, and commitment to authenticity have solidified its status as one of the most significant albums in rock history. While it may present challenges for some listeners due to its length and experimental nature, its influence continues to resonate within contemporary music scenes today.
This album aside from being a classic is just an all around incredible album. Everything about these unique musicians and humans and seminal band being at their best. A truly monumental record.
RIP D Boon, we'll keep the lights on and the music loud for you.
Man, I forgot how good this album is. The thing about most of your so-called punk is how little like the Ramones it sounds.
Just the best. Fuck yeah.
So good. Examined individually, there’s just a handful of five star songs on here, but there’s something about this album as a whole that makes everything work and feel great. Although I might be biased due to reading about this band in the enjoyable book Our Band Could Be Your Life. PS, I do not object if someone wants to blast Corona on their phone while my ashes are scattered.
A stone classic. Normally I’d say it’s too long, but this is just too good. Each song doesn’t overstay its welcome, and each is pretty great.
Man, what a monumental piece of work. The Minutemen are truly one of the most original and creative punk bands I have heard. Despite their wildly experimental approach and real mix of various musical styles, this album has remained surprisingly catchy. It is exceptionally well put together,
This album took me back to when I first discovered bands like the Dead Kennedys, Black Flag, Circle Jerks, Butthole Surfers, SOD, Fearless Iranians From Hell and many more. The sound was completely foreign to me. I always imagined what they looked like and what kind of rat infested dump they recorded the album in(so dumb, I know). This really took me back.
Very little waste. Impressive
Easily one of the best punk albums of all time by one of the most important and influential punk bands of all time. Minutemen were arguably the first band to fuse hardcore with punk and it changed everything. You can hear the influence of Minutemen in so many later bands that broke and made it big: Fugazi, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and especially Sublime. The loss of D. Boon permanently altered the sound of punk and in my mind is one of the most significant untimely losses in rock music history.
Like come on, this is just a jazzy funky punk masterpiece. The Chili Peppers owe their career to these dudes
This is Bob Dylan to me. We listened to a lot of the Minutemen as young skate punks even though they'd already disbanded long ago with the passing of d boon. You could catch Watt and Hurley in fIREHOSE for a hint of the magic that the minutemen were live — kind of projecting yourself backward in time mapping that imagery onto this album and others. It was before Youtube after all. The whole album is a hearty stew fit for skaters, indie kids, punks, surfers and truckers alike. Anyone with ears and a heart, really. Double Nickels on the Dime is an easy 5. It's right there in the title if you think about it. Fifty-five, five out of five.
It can't be overstated how important and influential this was for early indie and post hardcore. You can definitely hear traces of what would soon come from Minor Threat/Fugazi, and also stuff like Cap'n Jazz and everything that springs from the Kinsella family. I don't think I had heard Double Nickels on The Dime in it's entirety before and found this to be quite a mood. It covers a great deal of material which deconstructs and intelligently pokes fun at pop music. Also, these guys we're just creative and talented players. Classic punk album which was ahead of the curve for 84.
Just brilliant.
Watt and Boon basically reinvent their instruments and what punk can be. All time classic.
Holy shit this is a fantastic album, this is the fucking goat. 5/5
If this is what hard core is, then I'm a huge fan of hard core.
I really can‘t give away too many 5s but this deserves one for me. It‘s jazzy, punky but also avantgardy at the same time. What a great piece of work!
Torn between a 4 & 5. They're not technically that good but man it grooves so hard. I don't like punk but this is just enough that it works. It's different than others albums.
There's a reason that one of the most important subculture documentaries of all time borrowed a line from "History Lesson, Part II", and it's because when D. Boon says it, you can't help but believe it. Minutemen were probably the closest thing the 80s had to The Velvet Underground, in that everybody you love loves them and everybody who loves them started a band. D. Boon's untimely death, not long after this album came out, only reinforced their stature.
I’ve listened to another Minutemen album before, but never this one. Wow, really doesn’t fit my mental model of hardcore punk - in a good way! I do love an album that blunders around the genre map from track to track. Had to give it three spaced out listens to start to get a grip on it, and could definitely still benefit from more - I’m sure different things will stand out each time. Fave tracks - “Viet Nam” for that spiky post-punk sound, “Cohesion” for some lovely classical guitar, “Two Beads at the End” is totally new wave, sounds a bit Talking Heads in fact, “Political Song For Michael Jackson To Sing” is a laugh, “Corona” is very jolly, “There Ain't Shit On T.V. Tonight” gives great slacker ennui.
This is a banger, such a quirky little record. Love how obtuse it is. Another hit from This Band Could Be Your Life.
History Lesson Part 2 is one of the greatest songs about friendship. These songs all have such a strong point of view. A “stranded on an island bring 5 albums” album for me.
Singular, exhilarating, undeniable. Piles of laundry on the floor that actually are a system. I've met musicians that playing everything from mellow folk on who pointed to Double Nickels as their inspiration to do music. There are probably too many bassists who think they can do something like Mike Watt and have it work though. As a shuffle listener this is only my second or third time hearing the album in full. Normally an unapologetic shuffler, this might be the only sprawling chaotic double album that has me regret any of my listening style.
This is such a great record. Weird format, mostly comes off as buddies frickin around, but also has a surprising amount of musical depth. Love it.
Exceptional attitude pace and melody. The Twin songs each under two minutes is genius and I never find myself missing the length. Punk perfection.
i love san pedro california and i love the minutemen
Punk
This is another punk album,but wait, this is ANOTHER punk album. Its like nothing ive expected to be as "hardcore punk". It blends uniquely with jazz and funk. Its unique and distinctive and unlike anything ive heard.
First punk album that sounded less hardcore than everything I had listened to before that. I adore this album and I wish we could have seen were they would have gone had he hadn’t pass.
Liked it A LOT. already knew Corona lol
Very fun album with some great funky bass parts and some great lyrics. All of the instruments and singing feel perfect for this type of music. I love well made indie music (indie meaning independent not what would become the genre). Obviously nothing overstays its welcome here. The 2nd half isn't as good, but it is still interesting, and the weird songs don't last too long. Anything that even vaguely reminds me of Black Midi is good music in my book. The singer also reminds me of Ian MacKaye from Fugazi a little bit too.
This album is fuckin' perfect. If you don't like this, we can't be friends. Not sure why you'd wanna be friends with scum like me, but there you go.
this is my shit! Amazing rifts and just fucks. But only for a minute
Double Nickels On the Dime was the Minutemen's fourth album, which they released after the band had considerable critical and commercial success as a punk/hardcore band. Their relentless touring earned them a devoted following, and Double Nickels placed the Minutemen in the center of 80's punk. The Minutemen made rhythmically complicated punk, with raw guitar and bass lines. Their music is eclectic and political - engaging and energetic punk that helped define the genre in the 80's
Just incredible
Great old punk album
Every time i listen to DNOTD I wonder how this became such a cultural touchpoint to the scene — it's disjointed and long and kind of a mess — until I realize that's exactly why it's great: it's the personification of the scene, a dozen pop songs hidden under the kind of cool that everyone could achieve yet no one had the guts to do.
Fundamental albun
A fantastic surprise in the best way. It combines some of my favourite genres, punk, alt rock and jazz, to create an eclectic collection of super short, super addictive songs. Not a single song overstays its welcome, doing everything it needs to in basically 2 minutes or less, and then makes way for other great ideas. I'm going to be coming back to this a lot in the future, probably not the whole album, but just trying a few songs at a time. For me, it conjures images of skateboarding in 80s/90s America, just effortlessly cool. 11/03/24
This album was phenomenal. It was essentially a journey through American music told through a punk lens that zoomed in an out from the personal to the societal and back again. I heard influences from hardcore, country, folk, rockabilly, funk, soul, jazz, and spoken word. The album never felt disjointed and the various genres flowed together well. This album is surely one of the greatest punk album I've ever heard and is on par with 'London Calling.'
Minutemen are one of my best mate’s favourite bands. For years he’s recommended them, but apart from the odd song Ive never bothered. I imagine he’ll be canny annoyed that I took the advice of an algorithm over him… Anyway, know quite a bit about these for some reason without having properly listened to them. I think it’s with them being so distinctive: punk, but a bit jazz at times with insanely good bass riffs. They’re also one of them ‘tragedy’ bands where when on the cusp of being massive the singer died and that ended that dream. I love that whole ‘tight as fuck’ sound that they have going on. Every note sounds effortlessly in place while still being very off beat. If that’s the right term. I like it anyway, and it influenced just about every decent band of the mid 00s, as well as that second wave of angular post punk that is finally starting to fade (where for a while every new band sounded like Parquet Courts / Minutemen). Anyway; this is great. Sorry Wardle; I shouldve listened to you years ago.
This was brilliant. I generally like angular punk and this was clearly influential but just great in its own right. Lots of it reminded me of taking heads, a bit of McLusky, but really there was loads of variety. The glory of man sounds so much like LCD Soundsystem. There was a good chunk of random filler, album could have been 20 mins shorter (which still would have been very long)! Would have given it an extra mark for the Jackass theme but it's already a 5.
Wow this album is tight Among the very, very best drumming I’ve heard on this challenge Some punk is way too simplistic, boring, and tries too hard to be angry at everything. I don’t care for much original punk like the Sex Pistols (and don’t even get me started on how lame the Ramones are). The Clash are pretty cool though. But I’ve grown to REALLY like a certain type of discordant post punk. Like that one Gang of Four album. Strange interesting clashing riffs and an ultra-tight punchy rhythm section. Super satisfying
Little punk vignettes tied together by the frantically jazzed up play of Mike Watt and D.Boon, and Boon’s varied political ramblings. Proved that punk didn’t have to be all fast guitars and ratty vocals. Punk could extend to a mindset, overlaid with an arty jazzy fusion, an early imprint of indie rock, a classic of both genres.
I have loved this album for so long. It's sprawling, ramshackle, exciting, and a moment in time.
It is as though Minutemen saw the Abbey Road medley and thought: let's blow it up and split it in two. There is everything for everyone here, from freak out jams to placid guitar picking to unexpected forays into their history and all kinds of modes and moods to grab ahold of, even if they would end up becoming the soundtrack to a generation of amateur daredevil miscreants. Even if Double Nickels on the Dime mostly spill through the fingers (so many one minute songs will do that), there is a grip maintained that won't be loosened. A true independent rock Bible.
No clue why I hadn’t listened to this before. I listen to Henry Rollins' radio show regularly so I know I've heard a Minutemen song here and there, but it hits very different when there's a whole bunch all at once. Ended up listening to it twice and it just got better. Most excellent.
Loved it, great punk garage band sound.
I likely made a face when a 2-album 75 minute punk album from 1984 popped up here. While I have dabbled in the genre at various times in my life we still have an uneasy relationship at best. After stalling I finally sat down to listen to this and proceeded to have a ton of fun! There’s a huge variety of songs that I found completely engaging and a whole lot of fun. If all punk were like this it would likely be one of my favorite genres. My interest in this never wavered and I can see myself coming back to this again. The trio here sounds fantastic and really know there way around a lot of musical genres. Loved this from beginning to end, fit in two listens today, and expect to be back for more. Terrific!
Woooof! I'd never heard of this, or them, and it's tremendous. All of the words that are often red flags for me, like eclectic (usually means incoherent), ramshackle (usually means poorly played) and DIY (usually means bad production) sum up this album, but in a really great way. This feels like pure punk, but in ethos rather than just a Pistols/Ramones pastiche. At times it's really gentle and skilful, but never loses its power. There are so many influences and styles mixed in here, and it's easy to imagine lots of bands taking inspiration from this record. You can hear a specific song (I don't know which there's millions of them) that might be the only song Clap Your Hands Say Yeah ever heard, and you can at times find the roots of the Elephant Six movement that spawned Neutral Milk Hotel and others. Very good stuff indeed, and thank you Robert.
Fun punk. Jackass theme. A good time.
Not what I excepted with the album cover. I love it
Non stop awesomeness from this densly packed album. There must be upwards of 40 songs here and everyone has something to offer. The playing is virtuoso and the production clean and clear. Double Nickels on the Dime deservaes a place alongside Blonde on Blonde, Exile on Main Street, The White Album and London Calling as one of the great double albums iin R & R history. 5 stars
This was really cool. I'd never heard of minutemen before, I'll definitely be adding this to my rotation
Didn't have time to listen to it fully today, but it's already in probably my top 10 all time albums and I can recall most of the 43 songs from it anyway in my head, so who needs listening? (nvm i got a few songs in and listened to it all anyway) One of the most fun albums you'll ever listen to, punk rock with a side of funk and jazz influence. The guitar riffs and solos are insane, the bass lines are groovy as hell, the drumming is frantic. If you trapped me on a desert island with this album only, I would quite happily be spinning it day after day after day. Me and Mike Watt, playing guitar...
I have never heard any of this before and that's a fucking shame because this was so great. Fucking great. Why didn't I listen to this in my youth? Reevaluating my life. Wtf. Sigh. Tho---at least I've got it now, at 52. Never too late!!
Punk music that doesnt suck
10/10 a punk masterpiece that *almost* leans into post-punk territory
Top 10 for me
Baita som, bgl mais jazzistico
let the products sell themselves!
Underrated band, so happy theyre on here. RIP D. Boon
Luke told me about this album and it's an absolute banger, I love it. I even bought one of those books about great albums about it, haven't read it yet though. I really like the short songs, love the idea of going 'yeah we've got a great song, wanna enjoy it? TOO LATE that's all ya getting, NEXT!'
ta benne, tiene ritmos muy perrones
Me ha gustado mucho
Double Nickels on the Dime is one of the best double albums ever together with Sign O The Times, The Wall, Exile on Main St, Day Dream Nation, Tusk, Blonde on Blonde, Tago Mago, All Things Must Pass, The River etc. It is better than the fIREHOSE album generated by the 1001albumsgeneator some time ago (even though fIREHOUSE was a very decent band as well of course).
Laat je niet afschrikken door het aantal nummers, want dit is geen album met filler erop. Vind dit album altijd al geweldig. Humor sarcasme zelfspot en ironie op relatief eenvoudige punk maar hier en daar ook een tikkeltje funky/jazzy.
If this doesn't do it for you, check your pulse
I classic and there's nothing I can say about this one that hasn't already been said. It is simply a legendary record.
What a trio these guys were. Blue collar thinking man's punk that couldn't be constrained by the typical LA punk sound.
This album blew my mind. Almost 80 minutes and 43 tracks. So many unique riffs and styles put into such short amounts of time made for an album that had my attention for the full run. That bass player as well was something else. He managed to hold his ground the entire album switching between rhythm and melody. Although not every song was perfect (would be impossible with 43 songs) nothing on it felt unnecessary or took away from the experience 5/5
Yeah, this album rips. Back in my middle school days, I had Corona on my first MP3 player because of Jackass. Never bothered listening to the whole album, but this is about as authentic as rock gets. Don't be intimidated by the 43 tracks; they go by quick, and this one doesn't slow down.
The embarrassment I feel having never experienced this record prior to this exercise is outweighed only by the immense joy brought forth by the knowledge that I’ll have it in my life for the rest of my days.
This album is like if you took a good jam band and a good punk band and put them together to create a great band. Love the overall sound - seems ~20 years ahead of it's time, reminds me of some of the heavier jam bands I enjoy. Even though most of it sounds similar, I never felt like I was listening to the same song over and over like many other punk bands. There were maybe a handful of songs I didn't enjoy much, which is pretty impressive for an album with 43 songs. Will definitely be listening again soon. 8.8/10
Attitude with talent to back it up.
Var lite tveksam när jag köpte den föe en massa år sen, men den har bara växt. Hurra!
They're one of my favorite bands. I like their older records better. Not as long and more manic. But this one is very good too. Favorite song: the glory of man
I'm so relieved this doesn't sound how it looks.
Rock album with jazz influences, tackling topics such as political war, lgbtq+, racism, with humor and abstract words. In certain songs it sounded like poetry slam or random words being spoken, sometimes through spacey beats others with rock and roll.
perfection
"Our Band Could Be Your Life" This is a close to perfect an album as possible for my tastes. Perfect blend of punk and melody and most importantly heart. Another of those bands that I regrettably only got properly into a few years ago
Снова панк и снова полный ахуй. Один из самых необычных релизов этого жанра, который смешивает звуки классического рока, фанка и иногда даже джазза. Местами можно даже услышать гитарные соло уровня самого Джими Хендрикса. Из-за такого разнообразия этот довольно длинный альбом ощущается не таким уж и большим, особенно если учитывать довольно скромную длину отдельных треков. Я полностью проникся атмосферой какого-то похуизма и бездельничества, которую вырисовывают здешние тексты, которые в свою очередь даже не поются, а скорее агрессивно читаются. Также стоит отметить, что сама формула, по которым выстраивались треки здесь, чисто панковская, но изобилие звучаний из различных жанров превращают этот альбом в нечто иное, и даже несмотря на юморные и ироничные тексты, я не могу сказать, что этот альбом - чистый панк. Это скорее ассорти из различной музыки, которое упаковано в панковскую формулу. (9)
Jazzy punk
The best 46 track album I’ve ever listened to
Best Album of all time imo… D Boon and Watt were magic ✨
Somehow I did not know this album before this project. Now I love it. I own it on vinyl. I listen to it all the time. One of the top 10 “discoveries“ for me
This is where the Jackass riff comes from! The lyrics remind me a bit of e e cummings at some points. The instrumentals vary from creative and flowing to punk repetition.
We jam econo
Such a special album. Maybe I’m talking out of my ass here, but this reminds me a lot of the Beach Boys’ SMILE: the songs on the album are less individual songs, but rather short musical phrases that can be rearranged or combined to form longer musical sentences. There’s like 43 songs on DNotD - most of them are very short and unrefined. I think if the band took any one of them and polished it, you’d have an individual song of popular music, but they didn’t. The songs instead flow together, creating different moods and emotions. I don’t mind that they’re short! I love just putting this on in the background and sinking into the music.
bello offeso, chitarra e voce incavolata blle canzoni varie. Americano nel modo giusto. Punk creativo. Melodie riconoscibili, adatte alla commercializzazione ma senza cadere nella banalita'
Fajne
Simply amazing.
Hardcore punk, 1984. With politically relevant and clever lyrics and an innovative sound this album is definitely one of the most ambitious projects of that period. Songs are really cohesive and the record flows amazingly. Extraordinary stuff!
I found this album fascinating. It really shows how fast punk was evolving during the 80s, as it sounds almost nothing like the punk albums of the late 70s. It has a lot of elements that make it sound like alt rock works of the 90s, though I'm finding hard to describe exactly what it is that makes this album sound like a 90s album. Lots of little things, I guess. The hardcore punk influence on the song lengths really shines through on this one. It's a weird structure for an album that isn't screamed out at 200 bpm, but it allows this album to cover a lot of sonic ground. Really cool work, and a nice companion piece to the other major punk double album from this year, Zen Arcade 5/5
Yes please - post punk has such a rich history. Could easily have been released today and be very well received.
Stupendous. I had no idea such a thing existed. And to this big Sublime fan, hearing so much on one album that obviously influenced Sublime is an extra treat. I can honestly say that every track of this very long album was appreciated. (Good thing that a couple "meh" tracks got cut for the digital release. I sought them out too, but I didn't love them). Every track with its own character and unique rhythmic backbone. The drums are stupendous, and the lyrics are especially consistently good too. What a lovely surprise.
Over 40 songs and they're pretty much all great. Mike Watt, D Boon and Hurley form an incredibly cohesive sound. Lyrics are really great. Masterpiece. 9-10/10
One of the best non-punk punk albums ever. Terse and direct, yet wholly original and thought-provoking. One of my all-time favorites!
Я удивлён. Классная группа. Немного напомнила Red Hot Chilli Peppers ранний. Прибалдел, что это авторы заглавного трека Jackass под названием "Corona". В целом, понравилось. Звучит круто. Местами необычно.
Awesome album!
Not fair when one of the most significant albums to me comes up on this list.
It was the biggest surprise on this site so far. It is unbelievable!
Another badass classic punk album. I hadn’t heard this one but it’s a lot of fun. I’m a big fan of punk in general, so YMMV but this is my jam.
Serious as a heart attack. Came out the same year as Zen Arcade. The Minutemen's annus mirabilis.
If I’m being brutally honest there is a fair bit of what I’d have to call filler on this double album. But the best of it is better than it has any right to be and considering it was recorded for eleven hundred bucks (maybe three thousand in 2022 dollars) I think it gets an extra star in my book. My first and most extensive exposure to it was a double length cassette my brother made me from his LP: I was shocked to discover no complete CD release ever come out, and I had to root around on the u-tubez to get the full listening experience. The idea that there may be people out there who think they’ve listened to Double Nickles but have never heard Little Man with the Gun in His Hand rocked me to my core.
I like this. I like this a lot.
Already a fan of this one. Nice to listen again and I think I enjoy it more every time. Not hard core punk but firmly within the punk ethos. Some of the tunes come off as a bit too blunt ("#1 Hit Song"), but the drums and bass in particular are outstanding.
Genre: Alternative rock; hardcore punk; post-punk; post-hardcore; Released: July 3, 1984
Great jazz record. Also considerably varied
A modern-day punk classic.
4.5
Great Drumming. Never heard of these guys, They're great.
Loved it
Definitely thought this was a David Byrne side project at first. Lots of short tunes, really liked this pretty solid front to back and even the weaker ones are so short it goes right back into a new interesting riff or tune. I think I heard the riff that Sublime uses in Greatest Hits in there at one point. I dig.
Such a good album that is almost impossible to characterize. Great superh Tight band with good songs. The musicianship is always in service to the song. This gets a 5 from me. Thanks for helping me remember this great album
How many innovative ideas can you fit into an album? You only get a taste of each song before an abrupt in pops in the next wonder. Never have I seen a band that respects each of its members equally. Everyone gets a side of their own song picks. Everyone gets to shine and show off their talents. But despite its heavy experimental nature, it is still recognizable as punk at heart, with minimalistic and catchy lyrics complimented by direct instrumentals. This is an album I can keep coming back to and pick up something new.
It's like a rock/indie album, kind of out there. One song was very chill, mostly instrumental. (COHESION) Two Beads at the End is pretty good!( like a single) Do you want new wave song...very interesting. They have live music too. Fuck Advertising! Nice. Shit from an Old Notebook title. Album isn't conceptually cool or anything, but definitely out there and kind of DIY, like not giving a shit but having fun, while telling real shit kind of. It's a interesting kind of music, but something that I may not really go back to listen to all the time. It's also a stupid long album. Even though all the songs seem to be around 2 minutes or so. CORONA- I've heard this on Jackass I think the more I listen the more I like it LOL HISTORY LESSON PART 2 WAS SAMPLED IN A SUBLIME SONG!!!!!!!! HOLY SHIT. THEYRE LA PUNK ROCK So I finished the whole thing. Not bad, 40 tracks that were cool, experimental, and truly DIY. I liked it. It was out there.
crazy how much i liked this - jackass theme song on here too - couple songs sound like fugazi
Nunca esperé toparme en esta lista con un disco que incluyera el opening de Jackass (no es queja). Se sabe que cuando los discos son medio largos me quejo pero en esta ocasión no lo padecí, está divertido y me entretuvo bastante (sori por mi opinión cero profesional)
A work of absolute genius.
Uno de mis discos favoritos. We jam econo.
Cuando vi que eran 40 y tantas canciones dije foockh, qué hueva. Pero al final fue una escucha que me gustó muchísimo. Música tan caca que es buena. La corta duración de las canciones garantizan que serán punchy. Creo que la única que había escuchado era Corona por un comercial de Discovery o de NatGeo. Me gustaron bastante West Germany, The Glory of Man pues tienen unas guitarras re pegajosas, y The Roar of the Masses Could be Farts porque ¿cómo no me podría gustar con ese título? En fin, un disco súper cagado con sus letras hechas un desmadre sin sentido, 5 estrellas, excelente servicio. (LEL, Todo lo que desprecié en Pixies, lo celebro aquí, quizás es por los riffs que se siente como una composición completa aunque a veces las canciones queden medio cortadas (???), en fin, la hipotenusa). Mood: ebrio, torpe, descerebrado e hiperactivo.
Loved this album. Haven’t listened to much of the Minutemen, but I could hear their influence in a lot of my favorite bands.
While this project is massive in size, the song length and variety makes it an immensely pleasant listen. The album touches on topics like the Vietnam war, and at some points seems like a mix of soft metal, soft punk, punk, jazz and the combination of all of it. Probably my favorite listen so far. The diversity of the album makes me want to re listen to it over and over again. 8/8! favorite songs Corona, Dr.Wu.
OUR BAND COULD BE YOUR LIFE
First album in the challenge that I've never heard of the band or hadn't heard any of the songs. Nonetheless, overall pretty enjoyable. Lead singer is flat as a board, but most of the tracks are far more music oriented. I was surprised that this was 'hard punk' (?) when I looked the band up on Wikipedia - which did two things, make me feel bad for listening to it on Spotify, and also get terribly weepy. Band mates were best friends as children and while two of the three of them still get together to play music, never as Minutemen 😭 Wouldn't what I would have called punk based purely on the music, which I liked quite a bit
These guys can play! They make their statement in less than two minutes, and then get out of there. Their version of Dr. Wu's got to be the best Steeley Dan cover I've ever heard. Liked Songs Added: Jesus And Tequila Dr. Wu
Favorite track(s): Viet Nam, Cohesion, It's Expected I'm Gone, #1 Hit Song, Maybe Partying Will Help, Corona, The Glory of Man, This Ain't No Picnic, Untitled Song for Latin America, Jesus and Tequila Heard before Previous rating: 7/10
Like so many others on this project, I've often complained about albums that are too long. It's a completely different story when there's an album I've known and loved for a long time. Double Nickels on the Dime never gets boring.
Not my kind of music but a good punk album.
A band that was far ahead of its time and gone too soon. This is it's magnum opus.
While the music is not always great, there is a lovely spirit to this album.
I probably would never have heard this album except that an old boyfriend had it in his collection and played it frequently. I thought most of it was fine, not my favorite...BUT...I LOVE Dr. Wu. I didn't even know it was a Steely Dan cover until a few years ago. I LOATHE Steely Dan and have since heard their version, which pales in comparison to this one. So for that cover alone I give this a 4.
The origin story, the tragic death, and Mike Watt's devotion to D Boon are so legendary I never really focused on the music. It is helpful to see whose songs are whose (D's are better), but it's all weirder and more interesting than you'd expect from a punk band. I will revisit, I promise.
This album rules. It feels weirdly modern. Will definitely be adding to the rotation.
Quite a lengthy punk album, full of bite-sized tracks. These guys had a lot to say about the world and society, however. Hard to remember specific tracks due to the breakneck pace, but this was certainly unique given that it doesn't really "sound" hardcore like most punk records were at the time. It's funky, jazzy, and more spoken word all throughout. I guess that's how post-punk/hardcore came to be! Pretty worthy inclusion here IMO Also, wasn't expecting to hear the Jackass theme song here! ("Corona")
6.25.26 I've loved a handful of songs from this album for a while, so I'm excited to give the full thing a listen!!!! Basically this rocks. Really incredible sound sustained throughout the album with a nice variety within that rather cohesive style. Quite a long album but it never feels like it is. I love this kind of punk what can I say. Incredible riffs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Forgot that the Jackass song was on here so that was crazy for a moment. Shout out Johnny Knoxville. Favorite Song: Rating: 4.5/5
Really fun. I love being able to re-listen to an album and pull something new from it each time. There’s a lot going on in a good way. 4 out of 5 nickels, iconic album artwork.
A classic from the punk era even though it could not be more alien to the California's early 80s punk scene. Minimalistic funk jazz punk microsongs about political issues. Ahead of its time.
Really enjoyed this album. Fairly short, as punk albums tend to be, but ended up listening to the entire extended version. Definitely a 3.5 - round up.
Pretty dope
Listened Before? N Wow! A hardcore band I've somehow never heard of! Cool! Great punk rock with a little rock fusion in there. Short songs, hard hitters. Awesome! Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Viet Nam
Been a fan of Mike Watt since Ball-Hog or Tugboat. This was fun.
Surprisingly unboringed by this one.
This rocks. A little long
Jackass theme??? I quite like a load of short songs felt really dynamic
Loved it! Something really different that I’d never have found myself. I didn’t think I’d like it at first but I had a great time listening
I some missed listening to these guys back in the day. Really freaking cool... kinda like a proto-Pavement mixed with other good-shit elements from the 80s (Devo? The Fall?).
If I were giving stars for number of tracks...geeze. Ok but this is pretty good. Great instrumentals, pretty funny in places, pretty on point in others. "You Need the Glory" sounds like something Mr Bungle would do. Nice. Cool band. Sad that the sociopolitical commentary of the 70s and 80s is still relevant in the 2020s. Goddamn tragic.
Really enjoyed - great drums
I love this record (double technically). Quick hit songs, musically complex, gritty, real, funny, D Boon shouts of songs. Smart punk, super inventive, a blast.
An album that is so acclaimed among many of my friends that it almost feels superficial and upsetting that I don't worship it either. That being said, this is still a beast of a record. 80 minutes of some of the most cutting, catchy and beautifully raw songwriting to burst out of the post-punk/PHC bubble. I've always preferred Husker Du's aggressive approach when it comes to highly influential 1984 double albums (why isn't Zen Arcade in this book), but this one is no slouch either. Shoutout "Corona" for its use in Jackass. Our band could be your life.
This album is incredible
Surprisingly good, and not at all that punky as I would have thought.
Really fun album to listen to. I will listen to it again. It is so '80s pop.
Really solid, very long so will need to give it another listen for sure. Reminded me of a cross between Modest Mouse and Parquet Courts.
This album feels very ahead of its time; it sounds straight out of the 90s punk scenes. Stand outs to me are “It’s Expected I’m Gone”, “Retreat”, and “History Lesson, Pt. 2”. Though I like this album, it doesn’t feel like one that I would pull out very often, especially with the sheer volume of it. I like the songs, but it just goes on too long for my taste. Maybe my attention span is too short, but the thought of sticking around at full attention for 43 tracks takes this album down a bit, no matter the content. The songs are all catchy, unique enough, and cohesive, but the constant moving through short track after short track leaves me feeling a bit wanting.
tremendous 43 track monster of an album by LA punk rock pioneers, with an amazing album cover to boot.
Pynk, ikke rigtig Punk men slam poetrey, og pisse langt med sine 74 minutters spilletid, og 43!!! Numre! - Sangen "Corona" er nok blevet playlistet en del, både for sit navn, og fordi Jackass fandt introen så charmerende.
Det er ret fedt. Melodisk punk der tager små afstikkere i alle mulige musikalske retninger. Men fååååårk hvor er det altså langt. Og med 43 tracks!!! bliver det overvældende og umuligt (for mig) at holde styr på alle de indtryk jeg får under en gennem lytning. Jeg har lyst til at høre det igen, men det ville være rart hvis det var to albums på 40min. Den her kolos er meget at smide på bordet i en bid.
It’s impossible for me to not associate this album with Jackass, but separate from that it’s still really good. Favorite track: Corona
It's unfortunate nothing sticks around for long on this album, as some of it is actually really good. For instance, tracks like "Viet Nam" had really fun guitar riffs, bass and vocal delivery but is only 1m 30s. Then comes "Cohesion", which was simply gorgeous. With some lyrics and another 2 or so mins to stew, it could have been something really special. And so I am frustrated with this one, but for an entirely different reason than I was with Nick Cave and Tom Waits: the music is great, but never around long enough to realise itself. With the sheer number tracks and each of their running times, I am powerless to do anything but dub this: 'ADHD, the Album'. Then... I heard "Corona". I never knew Jackass straight up used their song, I always thought it was original. Kinda got bumped to 4 stars for this alone (weak, I know) but the Nostalgia was too much to ignore.
My skin keeps the storm inside
Funky punk. Quality stuff. I'd love to be in this band
Wednesday, 13 May, 2026 This was an amazing meander through the minds of three young men who have a hilarious sense of humor and corrupt politics.
Absolute banger of a punk album, another artist i've not really listened to,but this won't happen again. I knew of Mike Watt and his bass work outside of this but woof, love it. Jackass Theme Tune!
On the one side typical punk from the eighties. Simple and short songs paired with simple chord changes. But not loud as so many other punk bands. Very interesting and worthy to be here on this list.
funky, punky, singular, fresh, full of ideas. "Do you want new wave, or do you want the truth?"
I was only vaguely aware of the Minutemen before, but I really enjoyed this. A huge range of styles but genuinely punk in its ethos and feel.
hell yeah punk rock
This is my sort of music but a double album of 2-3 minute punk songs does go on a bit...
Anxious mo-fo - 3 Theatre is the life of you - 3 Viet nam - 4 Cohesion - 4 It's expected i'm gone - 3 #1 hit song - 3 Two beads at the end - 4 Do you want new wave or do you want the truth? - 3 Don't look now - 2 Shit from an old notebook - 4 Nature without man - 3 One reporters opinion - 4 Political song for michael jackson to sing - 3 Maybe partying will help - 4 Toadies - 3 Retreat - 3 The big foist - 4 God bows to math - 4 Corona - 5 The glory of man - 4 Take 5, d - 3 My heart and the real world - 4 History lesson part 2 - 4 You need the glory - 2 The roar of the masses could be farts - 3 West germany - 4 The politics of time - 3 Themselves - 4 Please don't be gentle with me - 3 Nothing indeed - 3 No exchange - 4 There ain't shit on t.v. tonight - 2 This ain't no picnic - 4 Spillage - 4 Untitled song for latin america - 3 Jesus and tequila - 4 June 16th - 3 Storm in my house - 3 Martin's story - 3 Dr. wu - 4 The world according to nouns - 3 Love dance - 3 Three car jam - na
This is why I am here. To listen to something I have never heard before. Very solid and different throughout. I have can hear so many indie and alternative bands that have heard something in this band and added it to their own songs. 8.25/10 Top song Cohesion
Now this is what a double album should be! They cover such a variety of styles but still keep their own unique sound. Crazy how much they can do as a trio.
4.5 real good album! Never heard of them before but will check out more of their albums. This album definitely needs a few listens. Only downfall is that it's just a little to long.
Equal parts Funk and Mania. Great Musicianship. Too accomplished to be Punk, too early for Grunge. Got Stranglers, Pixies and Fugazi vibes Really liked it. 4.5
Great punk rock. Jackass theme corona
Can't believe I waited so long to listen to this
As a music lover born in 1984 it's been very disappointing to hear what came out that year. New wave synth pop and hair band metal aren't really my style. I loved this. Best album from my birth year, hands down. Also that little Jackass into on Corona; recognized that right away.
NOTE: Listening and rating to this on Apr 21 2026. Now for review. An incredibly funky post-punk album at places, but still with plenty of variety and other influences. Just recently discovered this band so happy I already heard this greate LP before, so this gives me more experience with it, rated 4.5 on RYM and strong 4 stars here. If they got all the best songs and squeezed downed the playtime it might have been even more.
Is this the best band we have never listened to before? Probably. Minutemen are punk royalty, but hard to have accessed outside of that world. With musical chops to convincingly switch between diverse styles from track to track, their tight instrumentals, especially the funky bass runs, and playful but connected lyrics unfurl with a skill that leaves me wanting more. This seminal album kept my feet moving while surprising my ears with each new track. It was great listen.
I needed to listen to this twice. I was busy while listening the first time and felt I missed a lot, and I was right....and wrong. Parts of this album absolutely jam, exactly what you expect from a great punk album. Killer drums, wicked bass, jarring guitar, and that punk rock snarky vocal. I didn't miss a thing on those songs. They rocked. What i missed was the greatness of the songs where the Minutemen clearly couldn't care less the about expectations of a punk rock album. Understated and nuanced, but not compromised. They still jammed, they didn't abandon the punk vibe, they instead showed us they can blow us away ....without blowing us away. Irreverent rhythms and minimalist composition cast a spotlight on their perspective by keeping the listener off balance. It's these songs that brought me back for a closer second listen. This was my introduction to the Minutemen. Extraordinarily talented musicians with the gumption to express themselves without concern of genre. Masterclass album.
Surprisingly, more entertaining than I expected for a double album from a punk band. It really helped that they varied the styles, kept the tracks short, and were actually pretty talented musicians.
One of the best punk albums I've heard - lots of energy, fantastic musicianship, with elements of funk and other influences
short songs, high energy. interesting
Surprisingly fresh for being 43 tracks
Always wanted to give this one a go, heard it recommended loads. and I'd say it lived up to it on the first listen and a half. Got almost jumpscared by Corona, did not know the Jackass theme came from this. Despite being spread across 40-odd tracks, loads of variety and the short tracks mean its just constant new ideas being thrown at you. Very funky bass, which I guess you kind of need when you're only working with a single guitar aside from that
No.158 Weird record, but I mean that in a good way. I guess I always knew Minutemen had something of a cult following in the punk world, but this is the first time I’ve sat down and listened to it.
Decent 4,5
Класика, маю на вінілі.
When to listen: Short burst of energy. I thought this album was really interesting and a nice little tasting menu of punk fusion. Also easy to listen to and enjoy—not easy for this genre!
43 songs?!? 43?!? Oh, rapid fire punk rock. I dug it.
Weird record, but I mean that in a good way. I guess I always knew Minutemen had something of a cult following in the punk world, but this is the first time I’ve sat down and listened to it. There aren’t very many songs I would qualify as catchy, but it’s still a pretty fun listen. They bounce around all over the place from spoken word, noise rock, funk, punk…they’re pretty tough to pigeonhole. Sometimes they remind me of Dead Milkmen. It seems like they’re having a ton of fun, and that’s kind of infectious. And when I call this record weird, I think what I’m saying is that Minutemen seem authentically weird. I don’t think they’re really trying. I dunno, it’s refreshing. 8/10
Pretty good. "Punk" but reminds me of the stranglers. Some songs a bit slower, but most are jumpy and fast, with nothing over 3minutes long Includes the theme to Jackass I like
banger after banger
Glimpses of brilliance, a bit meandering and a fun jackass reminder. I gotta say this is so much better than nick cave, man I hated that record. These guys rock, chill, jammy but short and punchy.
Holy smokes, that's a lot of short songs. 43 tracks in total, and 33 of them are under two minutes. If this is punk, I just know I'm going to get a headache by the halfway point. Fortunately, it's not punk. In fact, the performance and recording is surprisingly high-quality. The bass and guitar are twangy (sometimes) yet extremely clean-sounding. Drumming is hurried in most songs, but it stays perfectly in time while still adding plenty of nifty fills to satiate rhythm-lovers. Decent singing, though as we'll find out as the album progresses, this becomes sketchy later on. We hear some ups and downs in texture – plenty of balladesque or lower-energy tracks mixed in with the hyper-political/-opinionated punk stuff – and the sound is also reasonably accessible. Who knew? Another reviewer wrote that this music was "cohesive" yet "frantic". As apt a description as any. You can't help but listen to this with a smile on your face and a butt (importantly, your own but) on the edge of your seat. Listening to the track Cohesion: What, is that variety? On my post-punk record? What is this, 1984? (It was 1984.) Cohesion is harmonically and texturally about as simple as you can get: acoustic guitar with two repeating chords, for the most part. But that rapid finger picking is gorgeous. And it leads into the grungy It's Expected I'm Gone, which takes inspiration from Nirvana by travelling a decade into the future and listening to the Scentless Apprentice sessions. (Well, the drums are the same, anyway.) My Heart and the Real World is pure poppy punky goodness. Nice Steely Dan cover with Dr. Wu, but if we're being honest it has absolutely nothing on the original. #1 Hit Song is not a #1 hit song. What a scam. Other misleading tracks: Political Song for Michael Jackson to Sing, The Roar of the Masses Could Be Farts, Untitled Song for Latin America. Some of the songs here really challenge my system. Because this is a 5-star album. It has to be. Right? But then Don't Look Now shows up, and it sounds like it was recorded in a bathroom during a graduation afterparty. Per my system, if there are any "unliked" tracks on an album, I can't give the album 5 stars. Fortunately, the problem sort of resolved itself by several other weak tracks appearing later down the line, including Retreat, Take 5 D, You Need the Glory, and Three Car Jam. 4/5 Key tracks: Theatre Is the Life of You, Cohesion, Corona, The Roar of the Masses Could Be Farts, This Ain't No Picnic
Excellent. Needs more listens.
Anxious Mo-Fo - 4/5 Theatre is the Life of You - 4/5 Viet Nam - 5/5 Cohesion - 3.5/5 It's Expected I'm Gone - 4/5 #1 Hit Song - 4/5 Two Beads at the End - 4/5 Do You Want New Wave or Do You Want the Truth - 4/5 Don't Look Now - 3/5 Shit From an Old Notebook - 4.5/5 Nature Without Man - 4.5/5 One Reporter's Opinion - 4/5 Political Song for Micheal Jackson to Sing - 4/5 Maybe Partying Will Help - 4.5/5 Toadies - 3.5/5 Retreat - 4/5 The Big Foist - 4/5 God Bows to Math - 4/5 Corona - 4.5/5 The Glory of Man - 5/5 Take 5, D. - 3.5/5 My Heart and the Real World - 4/5 History Lesson - Part II - 4.5/5 You Need the Glory - 4/5 The Roar of the Masses Could Be Farts - 4.5/5 Mr. Robot's Holy Orders - 4.5/5 West Germany - 5/5 The Politics of Time - 4.5/5 Themselves - 4/5 Please Don't Be Gentle With Me - 4/5 Nothing Indeed - 4/5 No Exchange - 4.5/5 There Ain't Shit on T.V. Tonight - 4/5 This Ain't No Picnic - 4.5/5 Spillage - 4/5 Untitled Song for Latin America - 4/5 Jesus and Tequila - 4/5 June 16th - 4/5 Storm in My House - 4/5 Martin's Story - 4/5 Doctor Wu - 4/5 The World According to Nouns - 4/5 Love Dance - 4/5 A wire array of influences for an incredibly varied punk album. Surprisingly not a slog with most of the songs being only about a minute or two. Also didn't realize this is where the Jackass theme came from but that makes it even cooler. Overall: 4/5 Favorites: Viet Nam, The Glory of Man
I’d buy that for a dollar.
I just think this is brilliant from top to bottom. This higher rating kind of breaks my rules because I don't see myself really listening to this much, but I would have really been into it in an earlier phase of life.
A lot of interesting riffs and ideas on this one. It runs too long however.
What was this? 43 musical vignettes painting various emotions. Guitar work in spots was amazing. It was just a whole lots of different things, and I didn't hate
plein de courtes musiques d'ambiance, j'avais trop peur que ça soit de la country mais dieu merci non
Quirky, lyrically comical at times, and always frenetic. I really enjoyed this one. Favorite track: Corona
How have I never listened to Minutemen? Very good