Well I guess it would seem like I am on a bit of a punk kick as of late so let’s continue that trend with the next band on the chopping block. The band on the chopping block is Social Distortion. I remember seeing them at KROQ Almost Acoustic Christmas back in 2004 and I thought they were good so let’s take a look……..
Mommy’s Little Monster- now usually when it comes to debut albums (especially punk albums in the 80’s), the recordings are always really crappy and don’t sound that great. That is not the case here and this album actually sounds pretty good. The songs are good enough and they are also pretty catchy and memorable. Overall, not a bad start and I’ll give it a 8/10. Not bad
Standouts: Hour Of Darkness, Anti-Fashion, Another State Of Mind
Prison Bound- I’ve always said that the title track needs to be played at more weddings. The thing about this album is that it seems like it has more blues and even some country elements mixed in with the punk. It’s a pretty neat record. I could see how a record like this could appeal to more than just fans of punk. Anyway, I’ll give this one 8.5/10
Standouts: Indulgence, I Want What I Want, Lost Child
Social Distortion- so if you were going into this band with fresh ears, then you might want to start here. This is the album that gave us their hits like Story Of My Life (I honestly cannot stand that song it’s so overplayed) and also that badass cover of Ring Of Fire. Aside from the radio hits, the rest of the album is awesome. Definitely one not to overlook. I’ll give this album 10/10
Standouts: Sickboy, It Coulda Been Me, Drug Train
Somewhere Between Heaven And Hell- I feel like when it comes to this band, this is an album of theirs that seems to get overlooked. This one continues the same trend that we heard on the last album. The band seems to be dialed in and I think it’s safe to say that at this point that they be found their sound. This is definitely a great record and I highly recommend it. I’ll give this one a 10/10
Standouts: Cold Feelings, King Of Fools, Ghost Town Blues
White Light White Heat White Trash- so I guess after listening to this album I remember the song I Was Wrong from when I got my first radio back in like 96 hearing it on 96.7 The Bus. I remember liking the song as well as really enjoying the rest of the record. It’s a little slower and the country/rockabilly elements are gone and have been replaced by just a straight up punk rock sound much like the first record. I’ll give this one 9/10
Standouts: Don’t Drag Me Down, Dear Lover, Pleasure Seeker
Sex Love And Rock N Roll- If the last two records had a baby, then this would be the result. Now there was a pretty long gap between this album and the last album but honestly you can’t tell. This one picks up right where they left off and in fact, I’d even say it’s a slight step up from the previous effort. Overall, a great record and I’ll give it 10/10
Standouts: Don’t Take Me For Granted, Highway 101, Live Before You Die
Hard Times And Nursery Rhymes- I don’t know I really wanted to like this album a lot more but I just couldn’t really get into this one as much as the other albums. A few of these songs have (and I hate to say it) “dad rock” feel to it. I don’t know maybe I just need to give it another spin but overall, this one is just ok. It’s not bad but it’s not great either. I’ll give this one 6/10
Standouts: Far Side Of Nowhere, Take Care Of Yourself, I Won’t Run No More
This was another really fun deep dive and seeing them live was also really fun. I’d like to see them at one of their own shows and hopefully they can get around to touring soon. This is a band that I feel like has something for everyone and if it’s been awhile since you’ve listened to these guys then I would definitely recommend putting on any of these albums.
Final Grade: B
Album Rankings:
- Sex, Love, And Rock N Roll
- Somewhere Between Heaven And Hell
- Social Distortion
- White Light White Heat White Trash
- Prison Bound
- Mommy’s Little Monster
- Hard Times And Nursery Rhymes
Sinister Reviews 