Pop punk has gone through a wealth of changes since the Descendents and whoever else could be said to have informed the genre stalked the earth. Moving from something of an in-scene, underground phenomenon on the West Coast to an international movement of sorts is a pretty huge progression over the span of just thirty years.

With its commercial appeal, which is obviously relative, the genre’s gifted State’s side music fans a horde of groups to follow – including a few that seem to be aging surprisingly well. Regardless of that, a few of the progenitors are kicking around, or at least issuing retrospectives in order to spread the legacy. But in the mid nineties’ as popular music seemed poised to accommodate just about any variation on rock music, folks were blessed with the financial prowess to market and produce music in the same way major label bands were. That may or may not have been punk’s death rattle. But even if it was, there’re still folks working to keep the genre entertaining. If the music isn’t any longer appealing, at least that attitude is.

Screeching Weasel

Weaselmania

(Fat Wreck Chords, 2005)

If you listen to punk and you don’t listen to Screeching Weasel, you may want to re-evaluate your life. Thanks to Fat Wreck Chords, though, instead of wallowing in the mire of your sorry punk record collection, missing all those classics from the late eighties and early nineties, you can pick up this compilation of 34 tracks. There’s a bit from each of Screeching Weasel’s albums represented here. All the dumb-fk-punk you could possibly ever want is here including the ridiculous and harrowing “I Wanna Be a Homosexual.” Other Lookout! era hits crop up on Weaselmania as well. And if nothing else Mike Dirnt, of Green Day fame, fills in on bass for a few tracks. Shock the middle class.  Take it up your punk rock ass. Don’t sleep, consumerize.

I Farm

So My Kids Won’t Have To

(Blackout Records, 2005)

 The mid nineties saw a resurgence, if not in quality, then in shear numbers, of punk bands. One of these bands, which happens to have also be able to survive the decade, is I Farm. Clever name; clever title. I can’t say that this album actually needed to be re-mastered -  reissued, maybe. But the time spent reworking how these tracks are voiced may have been a waste of time. What is to be found on this disc, though, is extremely fast hardcore/metal influenced punk.  There are hints of Anti-Flag and NoFX, the later perhaps being a lyrical inspiration. However, what this release lacks in skill or thoughtful lyrics, the band repays the listener in intensity. I Farm won’t change your life, influence future generations of punk or make a particularly good coaster.  But it does show that if you work hard enough, regardless of who or what you are, if you believe in what you scream about, your screaming will be heard eventually. Don’t give in, seriously.