"High School dropouts don't go to reunions…"

No I don't suppose that they do-though I wouldn't know, I wasn't invited to mine!

Ha ha… and now for a little good clean family entertainment, I give you ALL doing "She Broke my Dick!"

Well, at least it's over with in under a minute-but honestly, I didn't need to revisit that episode!

Their "Don't Settle for Less" battle cry fits "Problematic" uncomfortably well… and now in an ironic twist they present us with "nothing" in particular, just a two-fisted shovel full of punk rock dirt to cleanse the palates of rich and tasteful musical performers and clean-cut crew necks everywhere.

Descended, if you will, from The Descendants, the Alvarez-led clan returns again as ALL, sporting an equally ferocious front man, perfectly suited for back biting reactions, "problematic" ramblings and angry wailings presented within "Better Than That," "Roir," and "Stupid Kind of Love," though this barely scratches the gritty surface of these eighteen crusty and coarse tracks-songs of faith and devotion they ain't-more like misuse and mistrust times ten!

Recognized as among the many early power-pop/punk infiltrators, they are ALL that and plenty more-but to keep it simple, they're a sonic pulsation, nearly doubling-over in their own joke but hard to the core without the excessive snotty drip that always seems to dry up and get old.

Hell, after nine complete albums here, they must be doing something right-even if it all comes out so… troublesome and wrong!

Rhythmic crunch delivered at a most unconscionable extreme, "Problematic" shoots true in several different directions, aiming mainly at the heart of the hard core, but taking several potshots at the pop targets-those tantalizing little delicacies just there for the taking, and is there anyone who can take a pop hook like them and just use it tear out the guts of what might've been but never could be a potential radio hit-"Lock 'em Away," "Crucifiction," "The Shin…"

The what?

ALL broke new ground at the dawn of The Descendants' last day and continue to do so much to add to the dismay of musical aficionados-whoever they may be-call it sonic defiance, or a blackened tooth in the pearly white smile of the eponymous wad chewers thinking they know… and long may they choke on their dollar-signed dreams.

"Problematic" presents plenty more of their usual grit and determination-unpolished, unpredictable and in most cases, uncontrollable-as it moves forward into boundless new volumes of the extreme… classic complexities for this long standing establishment continuing to reinvent itself while taking its listeners on a new cosmic obliteration of immeasurable proportions…

Epitaph Records: http://www.epitaph.com/

Review by Vinnie Apicella [va85@columbia.edu]