Several months ago, I picked up "Process of Belief" after hearing "Sorrow" on the radio. I didn't know much about the band, and I didn't really know what to expect. That CD has become one of the most-played in my collection. I've been thinking about buying another of the groups releases. My understanding is that there's been a lot of turn-over in the band's line-up over the years. Didn't the founder leave the band, and then come back again. Is all of their material similar to what's on "Process of Belief"?
Great band that hasn't put out a decent album sinc e the early 90's (if you ask me). I'd start with "Suffer" then "against the grain" and then "no control" Those are their three best albums, I think.
I'd add, the already mentioned, "How Could Hell be Any Worse", to your list, but other then that I'd have to agree with you.
Mad Bishop hit the nail on the head. About 5 or 6 albums since the early 90s have been 'ok' but not 'great'. Everything Bad Religion did before then was considered classic modern punk. Its a shame too cause they are literate as hell, and brilliant with at least one of them having their Doctorate... in microbiology I think.
Microbiology?.....is that like a rash or something cuz i might of had it anyway Stranger than Fiction is the coolest CD of them all it has two kick ass songs that a lot of people like, for example Infected and 21st Century Digital Boy and it all wrapped in a neat CD case for your convinience.
Stranger Than Fiction is by far their best, in my opinion. So many great songs right in a row. The question my friends and I have been asking for years now is punk bands today dont rip off Bad Religion's sound. There is no one in the popular music scene with that classic California punk sound.
No. That's their more recent sound. Their older stuff sounds different and is better than that. I like that cd but BR's best cds are "No control", "SUffer" and "Against the Grain". Their worst cd is "The New America", absolute crap with the exception of the song "Don't sell me short". Btw, I don't know where you would find "How could Hell Be any worse?" because they haven't printed that for years. "80-85" Is all the songs from the How could hell be any worse cd and is easily acquirable.
I like that cd with the exception of the song "Television" that song is so annoying, but all in all a really good cd. BR's sound(Old school punk rock) just doesn't appeal to mainstream very much, although you might remember in the early 90's BR had a music video on MTV. The "Punk" they play on MTV isn't punk, it's more pop than punk.
I liked Process of Belief a lot as well, its a massive step from New America. The song "Kyoto Now" represents the perfect mix of old BR and new BR, everything they should be doing. Materalist and Destined for Nothing are also very good. However, this album is unlike any of their old stuff. Everything from How Could Hell be Any Worse all the way to Recipe For Hate represents their old sound, the most popular era with their "real punk fans". Everything else was deemed corporate by the punk community. However, Grey Race, the the 1996 album, remains my favorite of their library, and I own all their albums with the exception of How Could Hell Be Any Worse, which is impossible to find. Stranger than Fiction is also very good. If you want to get a good taste of their old sound, pick up All Ages. Its pretty much a greatest hits album from their Epitaph years, although most BR fans agree that too many good songs were left out and that All Ages shouldve been 2 discs. Still, its a great buy.
The Grey Race? Really? I thought it was a steaming pile. I haven't heard it in at least 5 years, but I remember it being a recycled, tailored-for-airwaves boring album. I do remember likeing the packaging.
Its a helluva lot different than what most BR fans had come to know as their sound, but all in all, I think its a good take at what they were trying to alter their sound towards, whereas the two albums that followed, No Substance and New America, completely failed in this area..
Re: Re: Bad Religion Thanks for the advice. I did pick up all ages. I didn't like it much on the first listen, but it's growing on me. It's a much rougher sound than Process of Belief, but I think the big differences are in production, rather than in writing or playing style.
[another state of mind reference] Next thing you know, you're going to tell us you worked at Haggandas with Ian, too. [/another state of mind reference]