"The Whole Enchilada" vs. "First Ditch Effort"

The stale beer stench and the sticky floors that resonate most punk rock clubs was missing from this venue tonight.  Not that I minded it’s just something I noticed.  It’s still early, I’m sure by the end of the show as I’m heading out into the cool night, I’ll smell the sweat from the mosh pit, the alcohol smell on peoples breathe and be walking through the few beers that had spilt onto the floor. 

As I was in the overcrowded bathroom between sets,  the guy at the urinal was saying he thought the newest Guttermouth album was better than the newest NOFX album.  Interesting this came up, I was comparing the two bands on my way into the show.  I think Guttermouth and NOFX are 2 of the best song writing punk rock bands playing today.  Both bands kick ass live though the shows I’ve seen, I give NOFX a slight edge. It also appears NOFX has been more business savvy with their careers.  But enough with all this bull shit, lets get to deciding who’s latest album is better.

Both bands have a wealth of loud, fast, kick your teeth in, anti-establishment punk rock anthems that have blasted my speakers for the past 25 years.  Both bands are still playing and both bands are still writing kick ass punk rock music.  So lets get to the bottom of this.  Who put out the best album this last go around?  What album will it be “The Whole Enchilada” or “First Ditch Effort”.

First up…”The Whole Enchilada” by Guttermouth.  The first twelve songs of this album is a Guttermouth greatest hits list played live.  I don’t mind, I like listening to live music but this album is all about the fourteen new songs that are on the last half of this album.  With Mark blaring his profane vocals over the fast melodic rhythms and the grinding harmonics of the guitars this is a trademark Guttermouth album.  Straight to the point with a bunch of short songs, no need to waste anytime with useless bullshit.  

 There is no slow down in Mark’s vocals.  From “Soundtrack to the End of the World” to “The Human Mulligan” this album is full of witty lyrics sung over some great skate-punk music.  But this album gets special in the later half of the Album.  “The Point” to “Freckles the Pony” to the yeehaw fuck you anthem of “I Got it Made”, these songs will definitely keep up with Guttermouth classics like “Bakers Dozen” and “Mr. Barbeque” .  This album keeps me moving from start to finish.  Another great album by Guttermouth, I’ll definitely come back for seconds on “The Whole Enchilada”.  

Now onto “First Ditch Effort” by NOFX.  It appears Fat Mike has entered into a phase of reflection in his life.  With songs like “Happy Father’s Day”, a song wondering where the fuck his father went, to “California Drought”, a song contemplating what life would be like if Fat Mike sobered up.  There are many emotions I can relate to in this album but perhaps it’d be more appropriate if a psychologist did this album review.  

This album goes onto take on big pharmaceutical companies with “Oxy Moronic”.  Brings up addiction with with the high tempo, aggressive, straight to the point “6 Years On Dope”, a song where Fat Mike spends the first 20 seconds of the song convincing Melvin he should sing the song and then BOOM!  Melvin blast his vocals not missing a beat.  “First Ditch Effort” is diverse in topic’s with songs about guys wearing panties and dresses, a make believe story about Sid Vicious and Nancy Regan having an affair, a tribute to Tony Sly, and finishing with “Generation Z”, a song explaining how fucked they are. The music is familiar with fast catchy guitar riffs, an occasional trumpet and some keyboards.

I really appreciate the vulnerability NOFX brought to “First Ditch Effort” but there are too many times that I felt as if I’ve heard this before from NOFX.  Maybe what’s been NOFX’s greatest strength through the years, having the same line up, is catching up to them.  Maybe they need change in their creative process, maybe NOFX should go through a Californian Drought, just a little something to mix it up a little.  I never felt this listening to Guttermouth’s “The Whole Enchilada”.  Though you know it’s Mark Guttermouth, the entire album sounds fresh to me and because of this, I agree with the guy taking a piss at the urinal, “The Whole Enchilada” takes the whole enchilada when going head to head with NOFX’s latest effort on “First Ditch Effort”.