 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
www. churchonthursday.com
Bad Religion
The Process of Belief
Epitaph Records
2002
Bad Religion is back where they frickin' belong! On Epitaph,
the label they practically single-
handedly
established way-back-when with the classic Suffer.
Ironically, just as they jumped ship for a major, Epitaph struck
gold with (aaargh, I hate to even mention their name) The Offspring (there
I said it...now I feel gross) and Rancid. Ha! There was Bad Religion on a
major label, making videos that MTV would only show at like 3:00 in the morning
and opening for Pearl Jam and Blink 182 while 10,000 people who never heard
of them asked themselves "Who are these fat old guys?" and went
to smoke pot in the Port-a-Potty's during their sets. Serves 'em right.
I guess the major label finally got sick of 'em and Bad Religion got a clue and decided to re-sign with Epitaph. Strange thing is that they're not ready for the punk rock retirement center. In fact, they haven't made an album this cool and consistent since Suffer. I can just picture them being sat down in the Epitaph office: "Uh, this album doesn't have one single...who cares!" Bad Religion is one of the greatest punk bands of all time, but the Buzzcocks they are not. It must be refreshing not to have to write songs that will appeal to the masses. Songs that consist of lyrics that the masses don't understand half the words of. It must be refreshing, too, not to have some schmuck record executive advising them to lose weight and get hair implants. It must be so emancipating to get that whole monkey off their backs!
If Bad Religion only made two albums, Suffer and The Process of Belief, I'd be content. The Process of Belief only departs from the Suffer recipe enough that every fucking song doesn't sound the same. I love every song on Suffer, but every one sounds the same. There are at least two songs on Belief, too, that sound like they were from Suffer. Some people have a problem with every Bad Religion song sounding practically the same--but that's what I love about B.R.! Especially since every time Bad Religion tries to do something different, it fucking sucks!
One thing Belief definitely has going for it is guitarist Brian Baker (Minor Threat, Dag Nasty, Junkyard). I do so love me some Brian Baker! How awesome was Junkyard, bro?! I'm not even being sarcastic--Junkyard fucking ripped! Bro. Okay, I'm being sarcastic with the "bro" thing, but I am serious about Junkyard--loving them that is. In typical Bad Religion fashion as well, this album goes by quick. It's over now and I'm not even finished writing this. Word! You should definitely buy The Process of Belief (and Suffer, too) but you'll probably buy something that sucks instead. I know you.
--Felix
"Stranger Than Fiction" Thursday