None More Black – This is Satire / 2006 Fat Wreck / 13 Tracks / http://www.nonemoreblack.com / http://www.fatwreck.com / Reviewed 13 May 2006

None More Black has been one of those bands that have always played a solid brand of punk rock, but have never got the popular attention of acts like Blink 182 or Green Day; the opening to “This Is Satire” (“We Dance On The Ruins of the Stupid Stage”) is a track that is soldi throughout, even if it does not really have the catchiness necessary to cross over to radio.

This lack of radio-friendliness changes completely during the very Husker Du-like sound of “Under My Feet”. The snotty vocals during this track do not have anything in the way of comparison with other acts, but the talent in which None More Black can graft the indie rock of The Minutemen and Mission of Burma to a much more current brand of punk is without comparison. A blend of the two distinct styles present in the opening tracks of “This is Satire” is essentially the gist of a track like “My Wallpaper Looks Like Paint”. This unity of these two different threads makes the album that much stronger, as there are not competing ideals of what None More Black sounds like present at this early juncture. The bass takes a major role in “Zing-Pong”; the style of the track is another in which it does not seem quite ready for mainstream radio, but it still goes forward in crafting a distinct style for None More Black on this disc.

The only thing that holds None More Black back during “This Is Satire” is that the band groups the songs on this disc much too tightly. All of the songs are solid bits of punk music but they do not explore new ground during the 13 cuts of “This is Satire”. Perhaps a greater appreciation of the spastic and eclectic punk bands of earlier times (Rancid, The Clash) and None More Black could incorporate more in the way of variation to their next recordings. As it is, there are a few overtures to a change in their style (the Janes Addiction like guitars during “Opinions and Assholes”), but not enough to keep individuals listening in throughout. What seems like a path that the band really needs to go down further is the very melodic, Slash-like guitar work that opens up “I See London”. Still, this is a fun disc even if it does not experiment as much as it needs to to keep individuals listening in.

Top Tracks: I See London, Under My Feet

Rating: 5.9/10

[JMcQ]