Double Nickels On The Dime

Absolutely didn't need to be a double album. It was so unbalanced. Some songs were really tight and fun to listen to, others sounded like they were just screwing around. The good songs were good though, so 3 stars

Not for me

I have listened to this album in the past and have been on again off again with it however, this morning‘s lesson it sounded awesome to me. Some things are kind of dated like the funky funk and the slap bas but they’re just some great songs I could imagine how great this band would’ve been with a good singer, but other than that, it rips.

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.

I like this, but I would like it a lot more if the songs were more developed and there were WAY less of them.

Some real gems and I love the overall feel but it’s also overlong and undercooked. (3.5)

Not awful but there is too much of it for a Sunday morning.

This is cacophony. Calling this the best rock album of the 80s is like calling hitler a good guy. Genuinely what?? The tracks are all 1-2 minutes long, none really have a theme of some sort, it's just bad.

Un álbum que no se puede quedar quieto. Como el buen punk. Y tiene el tema de Jackass La contra: demasiado extenso. Una lástima. 7/10

Alkuun piti otteessaan funkkiviboineen, mutta lopulta mitta otti meikästä yliotteen ja levyn kuuntelu kääntyi väsytystaistoksi. Hävisin.

Yeah that was both expansive and forgettable 2/5

When you call yourself Minutemen, there's an expectation that your songs are going to be short. And they are - the problem is there are 43 of them. I liked a lot of this, but it could have easily lost a good to 10-15 tracks.

Favorite Track: King’s Lead Hat

Please god no more punk music

Well I listened to it…

That was something

Never heard of these guys. These guys are interesting. Not what I expected. Cool stuff though.

It has long been my contention that almost all halfway decent double albums would have actually made much stronger (maybe even outstanding) single albums. In this case, maybe if it had been trimmed down to a single EP it could have been okay. When an album's most memorable tracks are on a side named "Chaff," you just aren't trying hard enough to edit and balance out the worst impulses of the group's three members.

Weer een lange zit. Ze kunnen wel spelen, doen dat ook af en toe, maar wat moeten we er verder mee? Zeikzang met een sacherijnige toon. Middelmaat, onkunde, gebrek aan talent en er-met-de-pet-naar-gooierij uitgesmeerd over vier plaatkanten. En veels, veels, veels te lang. Lang... Het is zo saai. Lang... Het is zo saai. En een diepe zucht wanneer het eindelijk is afgelopen.

Wat een chaos zeg! In die zin snap ik het label punk wel. Ook wel vanwege de zang. Tegelijk staat dit veraf van aandachtsloze herrie in een schuur. Soms krijgen elementen / instrumenten erg veel aandacht. De bouwstenen scoren een 'ok' tot een 'prima'. Er lijkt daarmee ook best een prima album te creëren. Maar het was fijn geweest als iemand had gezorgd voor het cement tussen die brokstukken. 2,5 ster

De zanger doet me gelijk denken aan Talking Heads. Het is een beetje raar en wazig. Door de prominente bas heeft het ook wat weg van Primus van basvirtuoos Les Claypool (bekend vd Southpark Theme) en de muziek heeft ook wel dat funky gevoel, maar dan met een rauw randje. De drummer doet ook een stevig jazzy duit in het zakje. Het is een gekke fusion, precies wat Primus ook een beetje deed, dus daar vergelijk ik het maar mee, bij gebrek aan beter vergelijkingsmateriaal. Wat ongetwijfeld een hiaat in mijn muziekkennis is. Samen met Zen Arcade van Husker Du zou dit ook weer een soort van grondlegger, voorloper of trendsetter geweest zijn lees ik. Ik kende dit eigenlijk niet, misschien van een keer lezen op een wiki bij een ander album (totdat ik de themesong van Jackass hoor, ja dat ken ik natuurlijk wel). Vorige week kregen we ook al een trendsetter in een vergelijkbaar genre, Bad Brains. Dat vond ik verrassend tof. Dit zit voor mij meer in het hoekje met Primus en Talking Heads van soms onnodig moeilijk doen. Er zitten best toffe stukken tussen en de muzikanten zijn op hun eigen manier virtuoos, maar ik luister vaak liever naar wat meer gepolijste muziek. Dit voelt soms als iets te hard werken, zeker een heel album en al helemaal een dubbelalbum van meer dan een uur. Als ze dit hadden gesneden naar 1 album van ergens tussen de 30 en 40 minuten, had ik er waarschijnlijk een 4 van gemaakt. Nu vanwege de overdaad aan virtuositeit, moet ik er lamgeslagen en kapotgesmurfd een 3 van maken.

Early funk rock. Very nice

Did Minutemen just invent a new genre to mask a lack of talent?

An essential group, though not always easy listening

Didn't enjoy it.

Game changers, watched the docu after hearing this album

This is what I love about this project. I wasn't familiar with the Minutemen before this. Now I'm a huge fan. Double Nickels on the Dime is vast: a double album, made up of 43 songs, but served in bite-size nuggets, ranging in duration from just 38 seconds long to just under 3 minutes (although the majority of the songs are 2 mins or less). It means that you get a serious range of music, with instrumentation that is far more technically advanced than is usual for the punk scene. Are they punk? In attitude, rawness and vibes, definitely. But in music, I hear funk, jazz, folk, country, alt rock, as well as punk. I love absolutely everything about this. I was already raving about this long before I reached song number 19, and I can't describe the joy I felt when the opening jangly guitar riff of Corona came on. I think I just shouted "JACKASS!" to nobody in pure glee. I guess there's a reason the Jackass guys picked it as their main theme song: the Minutemen's music is just as chaotic, energetic and punk DIY as the show itself. This deserves a 4.5 star rating.

At first i thought i've already listened to this album here. It seems I did it on some other list not a long time ago. I didn't like it and not going to go through this again. It's not bad it's just whatever

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

Very long album. Some good songs though. Nothing super catchy or dull. Just a good groove the whole way.

43 songs too long. 1/10

I've been listening to this for a few years, and I still feel like I'm unpacking it. There's so much material, and a lot of different styles, but it mostly works really well. The only negatives I would have are that there aren't many standout tracks for me, so it's one I just listen to through. But it's quite long, so I rarely get to the end!

Sei lá, não acho que entendi a proposta

I'm just a sucker for short songs that mean nothing but sound cool. This album is great. I wouldn't consider it "punk" as the genre of the album says it is, but I'd say more alternative rock. Reminds me a lot of Camper Van Beethoven who were doing a lot of the same type of music as this around the same time. Good stuff and essential if you consider yourself an "alternative" rock fan. These guys influenced a LOT of groups.

Hectic and over before you know it. But also some nice music.

Punk lives!

Didn’t know the dudes that hung out behind 7-eleven at midnight every weekend drinking 40’s decided to start a band.

Aside from the obvious hit in Corona, it's alright.

Had no idea this is where the Jackass theme came from, so that's cool. what can I say, I love a punk album that's over an hour long and has 40+ tracks, I don't care if they're all fairly similar, they throw in enough variety to keep me entertained

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

Ikke så bra

Poor

Wasn't aware a punk album could sound like this 4*

RIP Dee Boon. You were too good for this world

Unlistenable. I was born in the right generation.

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.

At first I was really not into this, but it quickly grew on me. It's rough and unpolished, but there's a certain charm to that, plus you can hear the influence it had on other bands. I was also surprised when I heard "The Jackass Song" aka "Corona" as it was very unexpected. Despite this album's length, it also never felt long. This is definitely an album you have to listen to if you're a punk fan. Totally deserving of its spot on the list.

Jackass

My approach to this album was, “You are going to have to give me something in the first three songs to make me listen to 40 more.” They did. And so down the road I went… Next thought: wouldn’t the 80s have been cool if more music was like THIS? I once heard that said about Was (Not Was), and in a way this band is similar - combining so many eclectic elements into one funky album. Still further down the road: Not only does this sound great, these guys are saying something (instead of nothing). “Maybe Partying Will Help” is a short, great commentary on avoiding real questions. “Themselves” is one example, a great one, of the social consciousness that laces the album. And who doesn't love a song about a band's musical influences and development with call outs to Bob Dylan and Joe Strummer ("History Lesson, Part 2")? Rounding up to 5 on this one because: 1) in an alternate history, teenage 80s me has this on repeat. 2) The cover. I really dig that cover and its subtle messaging. The story behind it is interesting and the meaning is basically: "You have to choose your battles. Choose better ones." But most important, 3) Interesting, varied music that doesn’t get boring. Really enjoyed this!

The tightest and most efficient punk band I have ever heard. The lyrics are more local, philosophical, existential, and enjoyable than their predecessors, and the anger is mostly replaced with sharper wit. To me, they are almost jazz punk, if there can be such a thing. I totally enjoyed this album.

This record is a sprawling, chaotic scrapbook of ideas. Most of the songs feel like half-finished thoughts or quick, explosive sketches. There’s a LOT of ground to cover. But funny, I actually like the idea and execution of short songs. Does it always take 3+ minutes to get a message out there? I suppose not. Spins: 1 Playlist Additions Viet Nam Cohesion Corona

This might be the longest album I've ever seen. It's good though. Not my favorite album in the world but it was definitely enjoyable.

Short songs aren't usually my thing but this was fun.

Solid fast fun punk. Lot of variety but no cohesion, just a mish-mash of songs. Apparently they had an album then threw together some more just to beat Husker on play length, then ordered them by band member, and 'chaff,' neither of which helped. But that bass is amazing, you can hear why Flea loved them

LFG! I was first introduced to this by a friend in college and I remember taking a look at the 43 song track list and thinking "what the absolute fuck." Now, over 15 years later, I have probably put those 43 songs through more spins than most other records. This album is built around a certain quirky sense of humor. Take the name to start: Double Nickels on the Dime is an overt play on Sammy Hagar's "I Can't Drive 55." Kind of stupid, but underpins the anti-conformity ethos of hardcore punk: a no frills genre born partially as an objection to the rule following of commercial rock. As I understand it this album is split into four sides. The first three sides are each dedicated to one of the band members and the fourth are effectively "leftovers." Given the concept of cars present throughout this album, its a bit of tragic irony that only a year following this album's was release, lead guitarist Boon died in a van accident For those of you who have complained over hardcore song lengths in the past, its part of the point. You won't find much in the way of choruses. In fact you will hardly find verses. Most songs are just a few stanzas of oblique poetic imagery. But once again, that is the point -- do more with less. And for that this album succeeds greatly. The songs that rarely exceed 2 minutes jam in beautiful imagery, poignant jabs at society, tongue in cheek jokes, and grooves that can knock your socks off. As would be expected from a four sided album of 2 minute songs, there is a shitload of variation, but the whole thing is held together by a common sense of humor, Mike Watt's infectious bass lines, Hurley's punchy drums, and Boon's scratchy beach-aesthetic guitar work. D's Side: Things get off to a rip-roaring start with Anxious Mo-Fo, with Mike Watt's bass perfectly balancing Boon's crusty / beachy guitar. Viet Nam is an early album standout featuring a rising and falling guitar riff along with a bouncy bass line. Brief acoustic interlude of Cohesion before one of my favorites on the album It's Expected I'm Gone -- something about the way the bass twangs away here is so goddamned satisfying and Boon's guitar solo in the middle fills me with pure glee. Do You Want New Wave or Do You Want the Truth always cracks me up: "should words have two meanings?what the fuck for?" Shit from an Old Notebook shreds and is proof that it doesn't matter what you are singing -- its all about delivery and backing instrumental. Mike's Side: While all sides are great, I think Mike's is my favorite. Starting out strong with Political Song for Michael Jackson to Sing, which features an aggressive progression and one of the dumber, inside jokes: "If we heard mortar shells, we'd cuss more in our songs, and cut down, a guitar solo" (cue immediate guitar solo). Then giving over to Maybe Partying Will Help (another album favorite) which features some oblique lyrics thrown over top of a fat hopping bassline and Boon doing double duty on the fret oscillating between contemplative sections and a scratchy progression before ending in an elongated solo. Toadies/Retreat play like two sides of the same coin -- love it. As do I enjoy the hoppy adventure that is The Big Foist. Corona is the one everyone here knows from the Jackass intro. Fine enough song that plays a bit more along the lines of a liquor soaked polka plonk. Glory of Man is the longest individual track, weighing in at 2:57, and it is an absolute jam propelled by the pairing of Watt's fantastic bass line and Hurley's work on the cans. Take 5, D. is one of those inside jokes of the album -- a kooky little interlude about maintaining a shower. George's Side: The Roar of the Masses Could be Farts is both a great song title as well as an absolutely blistering jam -- if this doesn't get you going, I'm not sure how to help. Once again, West Germany plays like the other side of the coin -- no break in between. Always has been a standout in my mind. There Ain't Shit on T.V. Tonight is simple but wonderful. "Chaff" Side: The final side starts out strong with Untitled Song for Latin America and Jesus and Tequila. The later largely built around a ramshackle sounding guitar line is one of the more traditionally structured songs on the whole album and plays like a sad joke -- don't fall in love; don't work hard, just give your life to Jesus and Tequila. Dumb as it may be, I love The World According to Nouns. Album closes with "Three Car Jam." Literally just engine noise from the three band members' cars... Alright, that's a lot to unpack. If it isn't already sufficiently clear, this album is a 5 / 5 for me; the kind that makes the short list for a desert island. What does it for me is the rawness of it all and the synergy between the band members. They cover so much ground here and for the 74 minutes that these 43 songs play I always loose track of time. Add also the fact that I'm a cheap whore for a thick bass line and Mike Watts has me down bad. D. Boon's fretwork is a wonderful complement and taps into another weakness of mine -- scratchy, beachy tones. These are the same that draw me to the likes of Modest Mouse. Can't say enough of my love for this one. I'm glad they captured this lightning in a bottle; only wish that their journey as a band hadn't been cut so tragically short by the passing of D. Boon.

I like this album cover. This guy has a secret for sure. Or he's riding high as hell. I definitely enjoy some of the noodly, jammy parts. Other parts are pretty punky and lame. Sounds somewhat like Primus at times. The Jackass theme song was a funny surprise. A good amount of stuff to like in this album, but it certainly lost me many times. At 80 minutes and 43 songs, the good is not enough to bring this to 4 territory, but it was enjoyable overall.

This album was exhausting to listen to. Songs 1-11ish were pretty good 12-18 were a slog Was never in a million years expecting to hear the Jackass theme song on here with Corona, that certainly put some juice back into the album. Continued to slog on after that with an absolutely diabolical amount of songs at 43 and length at an hour and 15. This is still quite a high 3 because even know it was crazy long and not really my type of music that i enjoy. It still seems like it never got old from the uniqueness and variety of all of the songs.

Wow had to make sure this wasn't a super deluxe version but nope, 43 songs. Really digging this 8 or so songs in. Weird live version of a song. Kinda took the steam out of it imo. Halfway through "Side Mike" the one thing that really stand out to me is the bass. Wow the Jackass theme song! That was a fun surprise. Never heard more than the first 15 or so seconds of it. Ayyy "Punk rock changed our lives" is in Waiting for My Ruca by Sublime. After side Mike this is a surprising 4 for me. Love the shorter songs and they all seem to have their own uniqueness to them. Songs like The World According to Nouns make this album awesome. This was a surprisingly high 4. Very solid and unique throughout. I was initially scared of the long runtime but that blew by. Big fan!

Weird in a good way

Chelou, mais in a good way.

This was kind of like torture for me. 43 songs?! Over an hour of this? This is a sick joke. But I listen and the streak of listening to every album all the way through is intact.

I think all of the songs are quick and to the point. Never fully won me over. Thought it dragged on a bit too long. 3/5

penny nickle dime

Æ har større forståelse for folk som vil høre et timeslangt album med fem låter enn noen som vil høre et timeslangt album med femti låter. Det e gøy, for all del, men det e jo også utmattanes på en ganske uinteressant måte. Æ like popmusikken min på maks tre og et halvt minutt, men det vise sæ at æ generelt foretrekk sanger som nok bikke treminuttersmerket oftere enn de her gjør.

So much better than Coldplay

I’ve never heard of Minutemen before, but I’ve generally enjoyed the punk albums from the eighties that I’ve reviewed so far, so there’s a good chance this album will land with me. Looking at the track listing, at 45 songs in a little over eighty minutes, this should be a pretty interesting ride. Double Nickels on the Dime is fine, and while it wasn’t really my cup of tea, I think that Minutemen achieved a couple of really noteworthy things on this album. First, the overall sound of the album is incredibly cohesive, even with its four somewhat separate parts. With all of the influences that Minutemen draw on, I was really surprised at just how consistent this album sounded. Their use of jazz to craft their song structures wasn’t really what I like hearing in music, but I thought it was interesting, and it kept things fresh over the course of this album. Secondly, I thought that Minutemen did a great job showing that punk isn’t as narrow of a genre as some people make it out to be. You can tell that the sound was crafted by the band, and not by the producer, keeping with the do-it-yourself ethos. Lastly, I thought that Minutemen all worked together really well as musicians. There was just something about their arrangements that had a certain harmony, despite the chaos that their sound conveys. There weren’t really any songs that stood out to me (although I recognized “Corona” from Jackass), but the album worked well as a whole. This isn’t the sort of thing I gravitate towards when it comes to music, but I appreciate what Minutemen achieved on this album.

New one on me. Some cool grooves, great bass playing, cool guitars. Vocals yell a little more than I'd like, lyrics are... a juvenile attempt at expressing opinions and stuff, whatever. Production value feels low budget, but raw which is cool in its way. Enough rocking and groove to be enjoyable despite the singing and lyrics. Oh and for some reason the Jackass theme song.

Surprised about how good it was!

Bad ass

Cool as fuck. At times it sounds like RHCP before they hired Kiedis, then it sounds like La Dispute, and then it sounds like Cheekface. Comparing this band to anyone does them a total disservice, they're proper original. Blew my expectations out of the water.

albums that impressed my on first listen from this list up until now: yank crime & double nickels on the dime. marvellous.

One of the greatest punk records of all time!

Jackass jump scare halfway through. Really fun album

Good but quite long. 3.5

Today I found out where the jackass theme tune came from

4 punk albums in the last 7 days is fine by me. It's wild how much alt/punk/rock I listened to in the 90's that borrowed heavily from the Minutemen. I've listened to this a few times over the years and I enjoy it when I do. Solid.

I like it, doesn’t sound like something from the 80s.

I respect it, and I like that some of the songs sound Talking Heads-esque, but it's a bit of a slog to try to get through in one sitting.

Aivan kelpo levy. Vähän levotonta omaan makuun, muttei kuitenkaan liiaksi. Ja rauhaton meininki pysyi linjassa läpi levyn, tehden siitä ehjähkön kokonaisuuden.

2.5 It’s a bummer because I love the instrumentals here. This feels like something I should dig. But I just can’t get on board with the vocals, and there’s just no variety in the style of song here, and it’s really almost 90 minutes long.

Surprisingly groovy. Vietnam slam poetry vibes. Reflects on self and society. Overall, not my thing. Tracks I liked: Cohesion Maybe Partying Will Help Favorite lyrics: "What of the people that don't got what I ain't got? Are they victims of my leisure?

Cringe

I really love a lot of music in here but D Boon’s singing just isn’t for me. I also think it is just too long. I feel like this is a 3.5 but I’m rounding down.

4.75

Wow, this is absolutely stunning! I never really paid much attention to the Minutemen - a huge mistake, as it turns out. This double album is filled with uncompromising snapshots of punk, post-punk, funk, art-rock and even musique concrete. Never for one second I got bored, even though the 40+ songs are a lot to take in. A genius record that is my first *real* surprise in this challenge.

Oh god this album, this album is incredible, every, single, song RIP D BOON

Y'know, there are some albums on this list that have a **lot** of dang songs. Some I was expecting, like '69 Love Songs' and The White Album; others I was completely blind-sided, like that Ella Fitzgerald one... And then there's the one I'd completely forgotten about until it showed up: 'Double Nickels On The Dime'. 46 songs and 81 minutes. Or 43 songs and 74 minutes if you're listening to anything but the original vinyl! While it's neither the most songs we've gotten from an album, and while it's certainly **far** from the longest . . . that's still a lot to ask of anyone's attention span. I mean, with that much material, how does anything stand out? And this album is **not** a '69 Love Songs' or a White Album, let me tell you. It's far closer to that Ella Fitzgerald one, where if you don't dig the style, then this thing is gonna be **interminable**. And this thing is only half as long as that Ella Fitzgerald album was! Lucky for me, then, I **do** dig this style. It's some good, hardcore-adjacent-style punk. There's really not much for me to diss, one way or the other. Or at least there wouldn't be as much if this album was under 50 minutes. Like, let me just tell you how I took this album. If you wanna try taking the approach of considering each song, one by one, then go ahead. Michael T. Fournier would be right there with you. And there's not nothing to get any individual song — but that's just not how I went about it. Me, I clapped my hands together and went, "Screw it — gimme the rush!" I still broke the album up by record side, but otherwise, I just let the music hit me. And it can be a **very** thrilling burst of energy. There's a new song, like, every minute or two, and it's all hardcore-adjacent-style punk, so it's just . . . b'woof! It's goin' off! Though I won't lie to you, it **can** get a little tiring. Exactly where you get tired can depend on your tolerance and attention, but for me, I think it was somewhere on side 4. Like, if there was anywhere that cuts could have been made, it's there. I mean, they literally titled the thing "chaff." If they weren't beholden to filling up all **four** record sides...! And, y'know, it's not even like this is an album where I think the regular critique of double albums normally applies — y'know, "if you do it wrong, it can come across like a supreme bout of ego." 'Coz I don't sense any ego coming off of this album. It's just an unfortunate case where the medium standards at the time forced them to include the leftovers. I bet you if this thing were released nowadays side four would've had an etching or something. But like I said, where you tire out could come at any point. Heck, it could be in the middle of side one. That's kind of the thing about this album; it **can** come off as a big test of your attention span. And obviously not everyone's gonna pass. But, me? With my horrible AuDHD ass? I think this is one where I pass, for the most part. Like, I'unno. My original plan for this review was to write 50 songs about every song — as a goof, y'know. And, again, if you wanna take this thing song-by-song, you certainly can. But to me, the appeal of 'Double Nickels' is . . . y'know, again, it's the rush. It's driving double nickels down a long (and thankfully uncrowded) stretch of city highway and letting the wind hit you in the face. For some, they'll be asking themselves "Are we **there** yet?" But to me, it's all about the drive. Taking in the sights and just not worrying about each specific mile you drive. Just cruisin', y'know? And while I don't know if I'm exactly thrilled enough with the ride to give it a perfect score . . . still, I could see myself making it again.

Feels like they could've trimmed a good number of songs off this thing, but otherwise, it's simply just some pretty good 80s punk. 4.5 bumped down to 4.

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.

Punk unadulterated and pure bliss

This was fun. Never listened before. Early on I was struck by the influence must have had on chili peppers.

DNF, it had like 50 songs

ass

Fun album.

Surprising band. Did not know about the range of music they play.

This was a great listen. Always been kind of confused by this band and where they lie in the history of all the music we've been listening to for the last several decades. But it's cool how much you can hear their influence in some of the funk, punk, ska and even alt-country bands that have followed them or played alongside them. Good stuff. Long album, but it didn't bother me too much.

I bought this on CD like 25 years ago and made a few attempts to get into it, but it never took. Revisiting it now, I both appreciate it more and find it repetitious, if that's possible. But no one else sounded like the Minutemen, and I appreciate how hugely influential they were. "Do You Want New Wave or Do You Want the Truth?," "Corona," "History Lesson Part 2"...there's plenty to like on here, even if it's not necessarily my thing.

A few good ones on here, but I could largely go without hearing again

Banger.

Quite hard to get the grip on this, with over 40 songs in about an hour. Such a weird album. Kind of groovy, but would need multiple listens to get the full picture of what the hell just happened and i'm not quite sure if i was enough impressed to be up for the task in hand. Lots of respect for this kind of stuff anyway!

Every album with 45 songs makes me really suspicious. This album was such a weird thing that I decided to overcome my doubts and say it's a decent album. It's also funny that a band and album that I'm completely unfamiliar with have a familiar song called Corona. I recognized the song and it took me several hours to figure out where it was from. How can a person remember the theme song from the Jackass series?

Weird as shit pop/rock/punk mash up with extra weirdness plastered all over it, not to mention how much too long the album is. Plays like a NoMeanNo record without a direction. The sound of the band is kind of thin, I understand the idea that each instrument sounds like itself, but that also makes for a boring sound, distinctive in the punk landscape yes, but boring. I've never really enjoyed the US punk movement that much, I'm liking UK and especially the Finnish variations a lot more.

While it's not too bad, the album is far too long and I found myself getting bored. High 2/5.

Klinkt alsof het de eerste demo moet voorstellen

I had only heard of the name, except I think there was a cover of one of their songs on a Sebadoh album I had. It's interesting, punk but like jazzy also.

Great record. I never get tired of listening to Mike Watt's playing, and I love the variety across the 4 sides of this album. 4.25/5

Known and loved this one for a long time. Great album and so creative, especially for the time. 4.5/5

What a load of rubbish

Meh, not something I would put in my rotation. Definitely would not say it is "one of the very best American rock albums of the 1980s", as mark Deming stated. Mr. Deming obviously did not listen to much music.

All the energy I associate with punk but so much more. Eclectic, cleanly presented, melodic (not always), technically proficient, this album is many things I don't associate with this genre. Bonus points earned for trolling Sammy Hagar with the album title, and covering Steely Dan. It isn't quite London Calling but it is great nonetheless. I now have a second favourite punk album.

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.

What a surprising album. Inventive, kind of all over the place and playful. The treble heavy bass and funkbguitars grated a bit and after a while it all merged into one a bit, but I absolutely loved the lyrics and I can't knock its unique inventiveness.

Interesting! Glad to have encountered it and to have heard something new. I'm not so into the metal/punk slap bass, jangly guitars and swift changes thing, it just doesn't do it for me, although it was interesting to hear in this more punk rock context that felt like it bridged something in that direction in Beefheart and the way it develops later. The tracks that were doing other stuff (sudden surf rock! Ooh, oddly sincere accoustic moment) I really rather liked, and there's an open playfulness in the lyrics and approach that's fun! Even within all the irony. Overall though, too long imo and lots that I just wasn't that into.

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

Fun and creative album, punk rock with jazz influences. There are many songs here, all very short but high in quality. Loved the bass and drumming! Not something I usually listen to, but I had a good time. Favorite tracks: Cohesion Do you want new wave or do you want the truth Corona

Crazy that this album had 43 songs. Too bad none of them were any good. There were a couple of listenable songs I guess but for the most part is was self indulgent.

Did NOT enjoy and about 100 songs too many on this album

This album felt like going to Costco and trying to eat dinner from all the samples. You go cart to cart and get some good bites, but every once in a while you're eating some weird fiber bar that you end up tossing in the trash at the next stop. I liked a lot of this record, but just too many fiber bars to really create a cohesive and fully pleasant experience. Also, 43 tracks is way too many. 5.5-6/10 Standouts: Cohesion

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.

I just couldn’t get into this album with the discordant chords and lack of musicality.

Boon! What a great band that influenced so many. Sad the way it ended and loved what Mike Watt did afterwards.

Idk man felt like he was kinda just talking at me

Bellissimo hardcore punk, vibes fantastici, giustizia sociale, critica alla società americana...che volete di più dalla vita? Si sta parlando dei Minutemen dopotutto. Menzione speciale alle linee di basso che sono assolutamente FANTASTICHE in tutte le tracks

First off: I'm not a big fan of punk rock, and I usually don't like double LPs (most aren't worth their time, in my opinion). Well, this album definitely doesn't change my mind at all. The singing is terrible, the music is middling at best, and at 80 minutes long, this may be the longest punk rock album I've ever listened too.

I appreciate the format. I don’t appreciate the anger.

Donald Trump is the greatest American to have ever lived and anyone that says differently is a goddamn communist and should be put on one of those Venezuelan drug boats. He read econo.

I wish the vocals matched the standard of the backing instrumentals. This is what if punk filtered through other genres. It's decent, I guess. 2.5 The Jack-ass theme randomly appearing was fun, also much different once you get past the initial riffs.

Funky and weird rock, not quite prog rock but definitely something new and jazzy

This album was all over the place but still super interesting at the same time. Probably would have been 5 stars if they trimmed it down just a little.

Minner mye om RHCP, og ser at de har vært en inspirasjon for dem. Godt driv og gode musikere. Trekk for vokal. Liker rett og slett ikke stemmen.

not for me

1,6/5

When I was young and learning about guitar, the minutemen were all through the guitar magazines. But I could never find a track to listen to. And while It’s true D Boon is a member of the 27 club, the band rightly pays attention to his death but it’s not a trauma porn thing so an extra point there. I first heard of them a few years after his death. So, after all these years, how does it hold up? It’s a bit blah. It’s got all the faults of a double album and few of the strengths. It’s not quite the musicianship of say Tom Petty or REM or the pixies. Also having it country restricted irriatated me. I found it on YouTube. Stupid. (Not the band’s fault, I guess.) I think 2.5 stars. Including the extra for not exploiting trauma porn.

A different rodeo. An interesting diversion. like any festering ugly thing, if you look away too long, it might grow on you . I admire the rawness of the sound - the lack of artifice creates some immediacy and closes the distance... subject matter includes the taste of her sweat. ...a kind of redneck punk jukebox soundtrack for arthouse road movie? in which... there are places where the band plays behind chicken wire for their own Protection (the audience throws bottles and chairs). Lyrics and form evoke a visual of on unhooked lead creative/ lead singer swaying in a slightly drunken or tired way, unbuttoned cowboy shirt, cigarette in hand and an unfinished tattoo. Its safe to say its a very uneven album. formative? experimental? proto probably ... There is something about the way that they sound that makes you wonder how they got to a recording studio. The barely controlled aggressive spiralling shambles is the thing they created, which after a while I can nod to it... (and wonder if it's on the soundtrack to ‘caught stealing’’) Play like your working it out, jamming and dont care if people like it. . Sounds like "we're playing for us, if you choose to stay for the whole gig, sure, but why would you"?. Which I guess is punk. Interesting. Art? I adjusted and enjoy the diversion - careful i might start listening to Bauhaus and other bands i never knew .... I am going to give a curious 4

I have travelled in alternative music circles since back in the day when alternative music really was an alternative. And the Minutemen were one of those bands that you read about a lot, but didn't hear much in Australia, at least, where SST albums were cursed with terrible distribution and were expensive. There are things I admire about the Minutemen; short punchy songs, a refusal to be bound by genre limitations, the whole "we jam econo" thing. But I have tried to listen to Double Nickels before, and gave it another good attempt today. And the listening experience just ain't great for me. the singing is pretty mediocre, the songs repetitious, it often veers into being too clever-clogs. In fact, it has many of the worst features of prog -- jazz influences, "clever" playing, lots of time signature changes -- all packaged up in a bloated double album. I can't help wonder if, had this been a 15 song album of around 30 minutes, I would love it to death. But I just can't do the self-indulgent sprawl. It tries my patience after about one side.

It's good. I won't say great for me. I'm not much of a punk fan but the jazz / folk influences kept it fresh. I liked it well enough.

So sick. Love Mike Watt.

These guys clearly listened to a lot of early Talking Heads. They have good ideas, but it's maddening to listen to 43 short tracks. I know it's the punk mindset to not care, but they should have developed some of those good ideas into full tracks.

Fartei-me um pouco…

Somehow, this is completely new to me—even though I was sentient, and even paying attention, when it came out. I appreciate that a punk band doesn’t have to sound like the stereotypical PUNK band. Punk is really just about freedom and, well, some kind of DIY ethos. That’s all here. Still, I’d probably enjoy a sound with a little more (stereotypical?) screaming. Screaming can be musical, y’know? Is this? “This Ain’t No Picnic” is probably my favorite song on the album. There’s some good screaming there. Hmm.

This was fun. Loud and right on the edge of punk. I enjoyed this!

Old? Punk. More enjoyable than I expected given that description.

A very interesting experience listening to this album, firstly didn’t realise this is where jackass got their theme song, secondly I thought I was going to hate this album when it started but it got more fun, but I feel that is the biggest downside of the album, there are more than enough really good song to have a short really strong album, but this album had so many moments of songs that I wanted to skip

fine but boring

Such a strange but kinda amazing album

El álbum está grabado con una nitidez sorprendente y se puede distinguir cada uno de los instrumentos. La propuesta musical es muy variada y el concepto de temas de menos de 2 minutos es interesante y genera una experiencia dinámica de escucha. Sin embargo, no me gustó la voz del cantante, ni tampoco el estilo musical, no es lo suficientemente convencional como para ser agradable, ni lo suficientemente experimental como para ser interesante. Sin contar con que son muchísimos temas y la duración del álbum se siente interminable.

Love this album, love the Minutemen. They're one of the preeminent embodiments of the punk spirit, as far as I'm concerned.

Really interesting to listen to all the different ideas on this album, especially when none of them are ever long enough to get boring. Plus, a couple of recogniseable tunes (hello Jackass!!!)

Even if you don't like a few songs, they make up for it with volume

So fucking good.

These guys were insane in their very own and positive way. Did not care about genres or styles and just did what they wanted. I also like the fact, that they put 43 songs on that album, just because they wanted to cash in more money off Spotify streams. F*ck the System, Yeah!

Album not available in your country on imusic

"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

overall very interesting sound and how they blend different genres but it felt like 5 hours

A decent album if you like really short songs. 3 stars or C-.

I never heard this back in the day, but I should have. Sounds like a classic.

6/10… punk / college rock

Nice one

Giving this a 4 because I’m feeling nice. I love the fact all of the songs are so short and play in an avant garde style. There’s political commentary. It’s definitely a little too long for what it is, but I had fun listening.

Really enjoyable

What a great record. Post-Hardcore as it should sound.

Wow, what is this? As a general rule I think it's a good idea to record 10 great songs rather than 45 random throwaways, there was a lot of rubbish here, but in a burst of generosity I have decided to award a bonus mark for shameless temerity.

At times, this verges upon “listenable”, but is largely not.

my goodness lots of songs on this album. but i like it. kinda weird. "there aint shit on tv tonight" makes me think of Tall Boy Special haha

he dasch no cool. sehr troche sehr funky zum teil? Viet Nam huere frenetisch aber sehr geil. waaas isch cohesion etz gsi? afoch klassischi gitarre und mega schön. okay. und etz its expected i'm gone wieder punky stuff. hö. do you want new wave or do you want the truth isch reeecht geil. als titel afoch. dont look now isch live? die dudes chönd spieeeele. one reporters opinion au cool irgendwie. hö corona kenni?? woher?? aha theme vo jackass. cute. für take 5, D. hends afoch de gitarrist (D.) pause mache loh? isch chli ass. history lesson part 2 isch jo huere herzig. you need the glory defür SEHR nervig. DOCTOR WU. STEELY DAN

jöö mega es herzigs bild anxious montag bis freitag ohh mega cool!! HÄ DAS GROOVT DAMN it's expected I'm gone riese banger ouh das album isch chli lang hahaha political song for michael jackson to sing slappt! hqhaha maybe partying will help sehr funny titel hmm s het echli ahgfange alles glich töne aber god bows to math het echli meh ruum geh falls das sinn macht take 5 d isch chli wirr the politics of time isch huuere geil!! wirr und jazzy und schnell! ich chegg glaub scho wiso d lieder so churz sind aber mengisch ischs au megaa schad! please don't be gentlr wirh me findi seehr cool abef vill z churz hahaah THIS AIN'T NO PICNIIIIC sie erinnered mich schochli ah weniger quirky the undertones hahahaha die tuble mitem three car jam aso es isch offesichtlich z lang aber ich han sehr spass gha. immer wieder abwechslig ohni de punk z verlüre iwie. wemmer bi dem album nur die beste lieder gno hetti füres 40-50 min album gäbti das vlt sogar es 5i aber eso isches es 4i

Really liked this, though split into 3 listens. You can hear how they influenced the Red Hot chilli Peppers and a lot of alternative that wanted a funky side. Will definitely re-listen and a discovery. It's not hardcore music folks, way more melodic and more varied, though other albums of theirs I gather get nearer to that.

baigi kruti! ļoti aktīva mūzika, giča un bass forši saskan vairākās dziesmās, īpaši "Viet Nam". daži favorīti: "It's Expected I'm Gone"; "Retreat"; "Corona"; "The Glory Of Man"; "West Germany"; "No Exchange" vienīgi žēl, ka ābola mūzikā nav. es gribētu vairākas dziesmiņas pie favorītiem ielikt

Highlights: Viet Nam, Two Beads at the End, Corona

Very good album....

Is punk : an all time great bass performance, guitarist experimenting and inspiring a generation of math rock and hardcore artists, solid drumming, Jackass Not punk: learning to sing Without the vocals it’s probably an easy 5/5 but he does bring down a lot of songs (not all). (Wish I could back and change ratings, The Blue Nile album has really stuck with me and I should have given it 5 and now I’m essentially Gatekeeping myself)

This was weird but fun. I am a lot more tolerant of experimental songs when they are this short.

For an album as long as this I have fairly little to say. It’s a solid punk record with some great lyrics sprinkled in and some solid instrumentation but far from my favorite punk record

Took a few songs to get into it, but once I was I stayed till the end.

Not a fan.

An experimental and idea-packed album that breaks all the rules of what punk can be. It’s energetic, playful, and politically sharp, but also fragmented and challenging. While it’s undeniably important and original, it just doesn’t quite click with me personally. 3/5

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.

Schizo rambling? Some good production but it is too chaotic for me

Corona Jackass beer disease

Enjoyed while eating my morning chocolate mousse. Could imagine a lot of these songs on the Brassic soundtrack. Fave tracks: Cohesion, Do You Want New Wave Or The Truth, Nature Without Man, Corona, a bit heavy on the ears for me by the end of it

Long. Eclectic. Listened to this one shortly after Pink Flag by Wire and there are similarities but there's a greater range here. Would benefit from repeat listens.

It is way too long and exhausting to be an enjoyable listen. I managed to get halfway through it, and that half was okay.

Really enjoyed this - would listen again!

Wow...this was so far ahead of its time. I wish the instruments and recording on all 80s albums sounded this natural and good instead of thina and washed out. The singer sounds like a lovechild of Henry Rollins and Nick Cave. Some really innovative guitar work. A few annoying songs, but nothing is long enough to overstay its welcome. Overall, I greatly enjoyed this...chalk up another win for this project by introducing me to something completely new (to me).

“Hey, wait a minute. That’s the Jackass theme”. I wonder how many times those words or something similar have been uttered when someone gets to “Corona” for the first time. For obvious reasons, I have to say that one is my favorite. This is a crazy album. 43 songs, 1 hour and 14 minutes is so much. The good news is that it never gets boring. There’s a lot of different genres and fun things going on in this album. The bad news is that I’m never going to remember any of these songs because they’re all so short, and some of them are either forgettable or outright bad. I really wish at least some of these songs were given a second to breathe, because all of them are quite good, with very few exceptions. The singer is nothing to write home about, but he’s pretty good, no complaints in that department. The Punk Rock aspects are also all pretty good, occasionally bordering on, but never quite reaching “Hard” status. I think I’m going to put this one at a 3.9, it’s really good but never QUITE reaches the level of extraordinary.

HUGE. The musicianship shines through and makes it possible for these lads to combine multiple genres into new and satisfying songs.

I’m not quite sure how to feel about this album. It loses a star automatically because it’s 43 songs long!!!! and over an hour. And while the songs were cool mostly, they just weren’t long enough to actually get into them. To me it felt like an album of samples of songs. Just little bits to get a feeling of how they sound. A few of them I really enjoyed and would have liked to have listened to them longer than a minute and thirty seconds. Cohesion, One Reporters Opinion, and Corona were good. Oh and let’s not forget The Roar of the Masses Could be Farts. There’s definitely something special about these fellas. I think 3 stars is fair.

I’ll give Minutemen credit for being influential in the 80s punk scene, but this album was just way too much. A 43-song double LP is a tall order even if the music is varied, and here it all kind of blurs together. After a while, every track started to sound the same, and instead of feeling exciting, it just felt overwhelming. There are definitely flashes of talent and energy, and I can see why the album gets respect for pushing boundaries in punk. But as a listening experience, it was exhausting. Short, sharp songs are great, but packing 43 of them into one record makes it hard to stay invested.

A lots of different genres rolled up in one album

Twenty cents.

Erratic, inconsistent, and somewhat abrasive. Glimmers of hope but mostly tiresome.

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.

Interesting idea making an album with shorter pieces in a variety of different punk styles. But few really hit the mark.

I really like parts of this but the run time is ridiculous. Trim this down to like 40 minutes and it would be a stellar album.

A super unique listen. While it didn’t resonate with me as much as it has with others I respect it’s brilliance.

raczej bez uniesien ale mial przyjemne momenty... duzo takich przypadkow...

This is less noisy and more jazzy/post-punk than I expected. The pokes at New Wave and Michael Jackson in the song titles seemed to imply something like Dead Kennedys - I Like Short Songs. Some songs do hit the expected punk takes on politics and capital-s Society (Viet Nam, Shit from an Old Notebook) but the album ranges from very concrete and mundane (a verbatim note from the landlady about not using the shower) to abstract and poetic. I can easily see how this might blow your head open as a kid in the 80s, especially if you were coming from Top 40 Radio and your parents' record collection.

Pretty fun album and could see myself liking it more if I listened to it more. Did recently hear and save one song to my playlist but didn’t know them much. Jackass theme song took me by surprise! Would be interested in learning more about these guys.

my kind of jam

good punky album with short songs, sort of bled into each other

A pesar de que varios temas han sido de mi agrado, escuchar un álbum de 1 hora y 20 minutos se me hace bastante pesado, incluso con canciones que duran menos de minuto y medio. Está claro que no me gusta demasiado el punk. 2/5

Very mixed album. When it's good it's very good. Low 3.

Boring

Loved it. Will be listening again.

This was awful. I’d never heard of them, so when I saw it billed as “punk” I was keen to listen. Nothing “punk” about this at all. American college garage rock would be a more apt description. Only hints at being “punk” if it were punk performed by privileged white frat boys bored out of school. Instantly forgettable songs, terrible lyrics and not much going for it at all. I genuinely question (again) why this has made any list. No emoticon for half a star.

• 3/5 • Liked it better than I remembered • if only they could sing . . .

Bonus points for jackass song

I'm never going to complain about incentive punk.

I can't believe I had not heard this before.

About all its worth.

Good punk tunes, and enjoyed the mixing with jazz. I will admit, I was a little bit tired of it by the end.

Virkelig fedt og eksperimenterende, jeg syntes ikke den føltes lige så lang som den var fordi der var. Meget bedre end jeg forventede, tæt på en 5'er. Jeg har aldrig set særlig meget jackass, men jeg har åbenbart set nok til at jeg kunne kende titelmelodien fra det første sekund

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.

Lots of good stuff on this album. Loved the basslines and the themes

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.

I liked this quite a lot; I admired its scrappy nature. Marginally overlong at an hour and a quarter, but the music was enjoyable enough to compensate. A solid four.

Sweet album!

Ooh I don’t know if I’m gonna like this Ok this isn’t bad Hey the jackass theme song! 43 songs in 74 minutes is schizophrenic It’s now gone on too long That wasn’t bad

It's a cool album, it draws from a lot of interesting influences, and maybe this is the albums I've had recently influencing this, because this is my shortest album in almost a week, but it's a bit too long for it's own good. It's got a lot of cool ideas for sure though.

This is one I want to like more than I do. It’s one of my favorite album titles and History Lesson Part 2 is a fantastic song. I liked Corona too but the rest doesn’t do much for me and there’s so much of it.

A lot to listen to. Kind of sparse sounding. For some reason it reminded me of the Violent Femmes.

Wow I was not expecting to hear the Jackass theme music at any point during this project. While the songs themselves were brief, 43 tracks is still a lot to take in. Fortunately these guys had a lot to say, from critiquing advertising to nostalgia for childhood. The presumably remastered guitar tone sounds great and the lead parts in "the politics of time" were impressive.

An inventive, funny, socially conscious album made up of tiny songs that pack a punch. Ok that was the Minutemen-style review. Now to expand on that- this is punk rock but heavily influenced by funk and jazz. They really try everything here. And for the most part it works. Even the fact that there are FORTY-FIVE songs on the record works. The sound of this record is also remarkable. There are only vocals, bass, drums, and guitar. Almost no overdubs, and every instrument is clear and out there in the open. No hiding. Great stuff.

I like the percussion.

A fantastic and eclectic collection of DIY punk/rock/funk/jazz/experimental everything. Maybe a bit on the long side, but there was never a dull moment.

Didn't love it, Didn't hate it!

Will most likely be 4/5

Bass driven riffs with a jazzy funky hoping style and gritty tone, propulsive energy from the drums, slashing chords and gnarly leads from the guitar, all surprisingly clean and bright. Eclectic influences distilled into a truly unique blend of visionary big hearted explosive and emotive outside art post punk. A singular band that left a huge mark from their sound to their ethos. It's a tough album to sink your teeth into since it's so big and sprawling but all the pieces are so small and elusive - it takes a few listens to sink into the mood and to latch onto a few highlight tracks and let the whole thing grow on you.

Weird but good stuff

This is punk rock gold

Absolutely not. Wtf is this? Possibly the worst album to start this thing with. This is making me want to stay close minded about my music preferences. Men will listen to this mess and sit there and say Taylor Swift isn’t a real artist?? Gave up on track 5. Not a single melody or hook found. 1/10. 1 is for the instrumentals.

unique, funky, punky.

Not my taste , would give no stars if possible

this sounds like they had fun making it 2.5*

Cool stuff I think I need another listen. Interesting hearing the jackass theme out in the wild

I hear so much of this music in bands that I know and listen to today. I was surprised to not know these guys and glad I now do - feel like I was missing out.

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.

A lot of interesting riffs and grooves on this, but overall it feels like a rambling mess. Many of the songs feel like they didn't know how to end them or when a new part was happening. This makes everything feel shoddy in the songwriting department. But there are moments of brilliance, and the vibe is cool; it really feels like you're in the live room with them while tape was rolling.

I confess I am not a fan

San Pedro in the 1980s Very long time ago, almost 40 years Not bad

It rocks

Enjoyed it overall. Not a huge fan of the vocals.

Meh. Must be one of those "this time in history" albums. Don't think it stood the test of time.

Minutemen aptly named because this 43 song quadruple album(!) clocks in at a tight 74 minutes, so each song is barely longer than a minute. And while nothing overstays as welcome, it never feels repetitive. It's a fucking wild album straddling the punk and hardcore scenes while moving beyond them.

Great punk album, a classic in my mind. Definitely get your money’s worth with this one.

I was into it they where fast jam sessions and they did the jackass theme lol

This is a very long and not very cohesive album. I like a lot of the experimentation with fusing punk and all sorts of other genres but that also left me missing a clearer through-line. This can work. I've heard this kind of album work before. But those albums also didn't have 43 tracks that switch style every 2 minutes. Nothing had time to leave a lasting impression on me, and then something new came along Standouts - 2/5

An interesting album for sure. Blends elements of Punk with Funk, Jazz, and even country at points. Most of the tracks are pretty sparse, with the instruments feeling loosely connected and everything being pretty simple. That’s not a bad thing, if anything it sets the Minutemen apart from other punk acts, especially with how little distortion or general loudness there is in this album. It definitely has it’s loud moments, and a song like Corona show that the band is still pretty good at writing a more traditional rock song. However, there are 49 songs on this album, for a 74 minute runtime. This is way too long. There are good tracks throughout, but also a lot of forgettable tracks. I’m glad I listened, but I probably won’t listen to this one again.

Double Nickels on the Dime was a contradiction. A double album that didn't feel long, even with most of their songs being under two minutes. I really liked Minutemen's brand of punk; a lot of their sound was that playful punk infused with new wave--and mysteriously, a bit of country was included? The album had a great flow when hardcore punk often jerks the listener around. And the lyrics were charming and silly, just like how I enjoy punk music.

I definitely blinked in a bit of shock to find 43 tracks on this album. Most of them are quite short, though, and like little punk rock jam sessions. That said, this is the variety of punk that is a bit more put together and less "proto", so it's much more up my alley, and I was surprised to find myself kind of enjoying the jam session approach here. As a sidenote, let me just say, it was trippy to hear a song with lyrics "disregards my pronouns" in a song from 1984, but that is such a topic in today's climate that my ears perked right up at that. Anyway, a fun listen of funky little jams.

I owned this one back in the day. Ended up giving it away. It’s OK, but definitely not a masterpiece, as some might argue. Too long, too simple, too similar.

It’s happened several times lately, like within this month, where I’d think about an artist or a particular artist (not even google them) and then the random album generator prompts me to listen to that group or album the next day. Get out of my head, album generator! In this case, I assumed Double Nickels was on the list, but I want 100% certain, and I thought to myself that I should really make some time to finally listen to it. Lo and behold, the generator said ‘now you must listen. Do not put it off. This is your homework!’ So, I was happy and shocked to see it come up. The timing was also perfect because what had deterred me from ever getting past the first few songs was the length of the album. Yesterday, I’d decided I was going to make gumbo, which meant I’d be whisking a roux for 45 minutes or more. Why not spend that time with the Minutemen? At one point, they even ask ‘what are you making?’ And even though I missed the context and they could’ve meant anything, I thought, wow, perfect gumbo making music. A good friend of mine loves punk and ska and has recommended this album for years. I could never get past the vocals or the feeling that it was too unpunk to be punk. I’m really used to the aggressive Black Flag and Clash style of punk, or even the poppy radio hit Green Day/Blink 182 era. The Minutemen are so different from either, they’re practically their own branch of the genre. I have to say, I did enjoy it once I got on board. However, not much stuck with me. I may need to revisit this to really let it sink in. For now, my assessment will be, on first impression, a more positively intentioned than bland, 3/5.

MTV Jackass theme song on it. It was the only song I recognized. Went on too long. Is this post punk? Because I don’t like it

a minute is quite a long time actually, i don't think they should be ashamed of that

4 - I really need to listen to this album again at some point. I really like the sound but I was really distracted when I was listening to it. Too long though

Quirky little album. The instrumentation I really quite like, but I do just wish the music, the songs would take themselves a bit more seriously. Lots of cool ideas, and most of them over in a flash. My ears perked up at track 40 "Dr Wu", and I thought finally a great track, only to realise that this is just a Steely Dan cover. 3.1/5

It’s like listening to a stereotype it’s hilarious 4/10

Here we are. Punkrock at it’s best.

I dig this. It's a really cool fusion of punk with a few different genres. The lyrics are kinda clunky, but punk isn't exactly known for its artistically constructed prose. Each song is distinct, and at only 1 or 2 minutes for most of them (the longest song falling just shy of 3 minutes) they don't wear out their welcome. It's pretty good punk.

The range of this album was a big factor for me. I like punk, but if it was all punk songs for 80 minutes or so, it would have gotten a little tedious. The fact that the Minutemen had a desire to stretch their musical boundaries says a lot about them as a band. I am definitely going to have to do a deep dive into their stuff. Although at first the length of the album seemed daunting, it went by rather quickly. It is definitely one I can imagine coming back to again. Top tracks: "June 16th," "Untitled Song For Latin America," "Corona"

At times wonderfully weird and at other times just strange. But always unique. I think this album is better or more important for its evolution of punk than it's pure sound. Although, these guys could play - just listen to Cohesion. It shows how punk can be more than simple chords or color outside the lines of its base expectations. I think of a band like Sublime, which there would never be without MINUTEMEN. I listened a couple times and shrugged my shoulders a bit. But I put it on one more time to write this review and I found myself really digging it. So 1 star bump.

Long double album with some cool moments, but after just listening to the 3 and a 1/2 hour Ella Fitzgerald box set, I'm kind of anti-giving-super-long-albums-where-there's-not-a-lot-of-variety-a-chance. Moving on.

Not wild about the guitar work or the vocals.

This record is a road trip. It goes this way, it goes that way, it meanders, it takes a few direct routes, it meanders more, always with the attitude that it's not the destination that matters, it's the journey. Every song is under 3 minutes and that's part of the beauty of this-- if you don't like something, another thing will come along in a minute or two.

At times talking heads. At other times Zappa. At other times discord-records-style punk. Also lol on the song from jackass.

Longest punk album I ever done heard

I do not like this But I wonder if they influenced Red Hot Chili Peppers bc man, that guy was SLAPPE DE BÄSS MON

In a set of 43, there's gonna be bangers and there's gonna be flops

unruly and fun as hell

I like the simplicity of the guitar and drum combo. The singing is trash. Drums are pretty cool. Nothing super memorable here.

I didn’t find much enjoyment out of this selection. I don’t think it’s downright terrible, but it just wasn’t my thing at all. It’s also way too long, so it eventually became annoying.

3.4/5 2x catch up on 6/9/25, pretty fun time and source of King of the Hill intro music

The music was great, the vocals were painful

Absolutely amazing

4/5

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.

I didn’t expect to hear these guys on here. That’s based on how little I know of them. I know Corona and being heavily influenced by Jackass, I say, let’s do this. I can hear some Chili Peppers style in here. I think these guys were first? So I can also say that I’m guessing they influenced the chili peppers??? The bass is strong with these guys. It’s also funky and light punk. Not sell out pop punk. Don’t get it mixed up. This isn’t bad. It’s not predictable as to what’s next. There really isn’t any singing on here. It’s more talking but it works. I don’t think these guys are on a lot of peoples top bands lists but that’s ok. I long for a favorite band that is more obscure . I don’t think this would cause anyone to be disappointed in what they have heard with this album. Unless they are primarily a country, rap or classical music type of person. If that’s the case, they shouldn’t be here. Choice cut: Corona

Сначала даже интересно и некоторые песни есть довольно любопытные… Но постепенно устаёшь и музыка сливается в один фон, на который чем дальше, тем меньше обращаешь внимание. К тому же, манера пения не в моём вкусе. 5,5 из 10.

Hard to review on one listen, it's long with lots of songs and yet the songs themselves are so short they sort of blend together, having said that the musicianship is fantastic, the guitar parts are unique and creative, the base and drums are excellent, blend of so many styles, punk, funk, jazz.

one of the best albums of all time.

This album is really personally divisive, I feel really stuck on how to rate... First impression, its awful. I get it writing short songs are their thing, but doing it over and over just feels like you don't actually know how to write a song, you just have an idea for what a song could be but you can't actually write a full song. The guy's voice is not great and after a while they all started to sound similar. They hide behind a label of punk to try and hide that they can't write a song. Reflecting on the lyrics of some of the songs, I like where they were going. I also appreciate some of the songs that have more of the folk sounds (Corona was one). Which made me think maybe I am not getting it and maybe there is something here if I think about it more. But then I went the other way again and after 43 samples I should like at least one or two of the songs. Punk is about making you think and causing a little discourse but its about the world around not the very essence of the album. So yeah...I will rate on my gut impression

The only thing holding this band back is their inability to write a decent fucking song. Mostly it's a punk-funk fusion smeared with spoken word, recorded so effectless and lo-fi that it could be their demo tape. A FORTY FUCKING THREE song demo tape. Sure, let's put that live version of Don't Look Now on our album that we recorded with a ghetto blaster. Many of the songs just seem like they are fucking around and the idea of throwing in everything we got makes this unlistenable. In it's best moments it reminds me a little of Fugazi (but not as good... and Fugazi is not really a GREAT band). A word about spoken word songs. Few bands are able to pull them off well. Here's a few I can think of that are actually good: Detachable Penis by King Missile, The Gift by Velvet Underground, Stuart by Dead Milkmen, Pollo Asado by Ween. None of these Minutemen songs are nearly as good as any of those so when I see the title Shit from an Old Notebook, I roll my eyes and cringe. I've actually heard Political Song For Michael Jackson to Sing before. It's the only song on this album I like. I wish MJ WAS singing it because this guy's vocals are awful. The one thing I thought was decent was the bass playing and I was ready to give it a 2 but the fact that this is 43 songs long just pisses me off so it's oneseville for this.

These guys seem fun, I want to be their friend. Also RIP to D. Boon. This isn't the kind of music I normally gravitate towards, and most of the songs are almost comically short and feel unfinished, but there's an interesting balance struck between how unserious they seem while also singing about (sometimes) serious things, with this different take on what "punk" sounds like. What it lacks in catchiness, it at least makes up for in uniqueness. I think I like "Side Mike" the best for its goofy factor, and because Corona is the best song on the album.

Not for me. I usually like a bit of hardcore. But this did nothing for me

> the Beatles

This was ok. I see why it’s included in top lists (even if it’s just as filler). It just didn’t really push my pleasure points in the right way.

Qué buena idea, un álbum de casi 50 canciones. Para nada infumable. Un bodrio interminable. Hoy si, clavo 1. Nota: 1.1

I like the music and instrumentation way more than the vocals. The vocals actually take it down a few pegs.

Interested in hearing this again.like most double albums it is almost twice as long as it needs to be.

Not bad

Short blasts of punk rock disjointed and fantastic Ditties for rebels

I always struggle to fully enjoy this album. There's stuff on here I quite enjoy when I'm in the right mood. That said, it is way too long, and a bit hit and miss.