MxPx

MXPX released their first record of covers, On The Cover, in 1995. What was the impetus to release a second covers record (creatively titled On The Cover II) 14 years later? MXPX have been a band for almost 20 years and have released ten studio albums, so at this point they can do whatever they want. That and I'm sure it's nice to shake up their set once in a while with a few solid '80s favourites. On The Cover II is a record filled with mainly '80s tunes, including covers of the Dead Milkmen, U2, Poison, the Proclaimers, the Ramones, the Clash and Queen. Some of the choices are interesting, in that they aren't always the most well-known. For example, they cover "Linda, Linda" by little-known Japanese punks the Blue Hearts. This might be more of a "personal" covers record than their first, exploring obscurities and some lesser known songs by their fave artists. One thing that makes the record worth a listen is the slew of guest musicians. Members of Flogging Molly, Tsunami Bomb, Chiodos, Descendents, Reliant K and the Rocket Summer all lend a hand in what must have been a fun album to record. Covers records need to be approached with an open mind and a willingness to have some fun. Even if you were never a fan of MXPX, this band have credibility in the bank after all these years. And a little credibility makes a mediocre punk covers record a really fun time, giving us an excuse to enjoy it.