All: Percolator

 

All: Percolator

1992

Cruz Records

Format I Own it On: Compact Disc

Track Listing:  1. Charligan   2. Nothin'   3. Dot  4. Nobody's  5. Wonder  6.Minute  7. Birds  8. Empty  9. Mo. 63  10. Egg Timer  11. Gnugear (HOT)  12. Hotplate  13. Hey Bug  14. Breathe

All is a pop-punk band that rose out of the ashes of the legendary Descendents. And like the Descendents they almost define "inconsistent." When you put on a record by either of these bands, be prepared to hear both the catchiest punk songs ever written by anyone ever and the dumbest, most pointless recordings ever produced.  Filler instrumentals, unfunny skits, recordings of farts...it's all fair game with these guys.

And honestly, it's part of the appeal for me...well not so much the recordings of farts...but  I like the unpredictability and the range this approach provides , I can understand this might not be everyone's cup of tea, so you might want to stick to both band's greatest hits albums...you're always guaranteed a good time there.

"Percolator" might just be the spottiest of them all...

The undeniably good: "'Nothin'" is a shining example of what the band can sound like when everything goes right. Those surfy drums and soaring hooks!  That Incredibly melodic bass playing...so good! "Minute" falls into the same category. Just an unbelievably hooky tune that shows Bill Stevenson at his songwriting best! And this guy has written a ton of great songs.  I like the single "Dot" too, with that big band drum break during the verses. "Nobody's" works for me too, it's a departure in that it's built around a blues-rock riff but it really transcends the genre with a powerful, melodic chorus. "Mo. 63" is sheeyit-kickin' country punk that is saved by its interesting guitar playing and vocals...

.These guys are infinitely less aggressive than the Descendents, by the way. Even the Descendents at their most accessible were more ferocious than anything here. This record  is almost all smiles and jocular humor. Good, Clean Fun, in other words..

The undeniably bad: "Bug" is just a purposefully annoying chant and some acoustic guitar noodling. "Hotplate" is freakin' 1988 hair metal! Hey, if I wanted to hear Kix I'd put on Power Chords Vol 1...

(which at the rate I'm going, we should get to in about 5 years...) "Egg Timer" and "Empty"  are also heavy metal-ish, but not of the hair kind...they're heavy metal of the boring, plodding type..."Gnugear" is just a dumb skit...Hey, If I wanted dumb skits I'd pick up an Eminem CD....



(which at the rate I'm going, we should get to in about 4 years...)

Then there's stuff I'm just indifferent to: the two instrumentals "Charligan" and "Birds." I come dangerously close to disliking "Wonder" but in the end...I just don't care about it...Same with the faux-Sinatra "Breathe."

Judging by the fact that I listed only 5 great songs, 5 bad songs, and 4 I don't really care about, it would appear that I don't care for this album, but somehow that's not quite the case. Like I said, its inconsistency is charming to me and I have fond memories of listening to this over and over on summer vacation in the 90's. Even though, I'll say it is probably my least favorite All album...yet for some reason, it's the only one I own, so take that for what it's worth...

But yea, if you're new to All I wouldn't start here...I'd probably start with the  "Allroy for Prez" e.p or "Pummel."

Hey, let's take a look at what else was going on during 1992, the year of "Percolator's" release...

Oh my God! It's flannel! Everyone was wearing it...I think even I wore a flannel or two during this era, which would probably be the last time I ever wore anything even remotely fashionable...But trust me...I'm sure I didn't look fashionable wearing it...I probably looked like Leatherface or something...

(Yes...I realize that's not Leatherface...)

Boyz II Men release "End of the Road." which is the only song on Earth worse than "Bug," until the Black Eyed Peas form in 1995...

"Jayyy-yaaayyyy-yyyyaaaaayyyy-yaaayyy-us Chry-yyiiii-yiii-yiiii-yiiiiisht!" GRUNGE happens...hence the flannel...Heroin is the Yoko in this scene...

But enough bustin' on 1992...Let's take a time to listen to All's "Nothin'" This song is great...and short...you should check out the video listed below...