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(A friend of mine wrote this and I though it was worth a post)
MxPx Stumbles with Before Everything and After
By: Sid Bigham

Veterans of the original punk scene, Mike Herrera, Tom Wisniewsky, and Yuri Ruley (MxPx) try a different approach with their new album: Before Everything and After. In an apparent bid for the mainstream, the group’s usual creative edge is tossed aside in favor of a more “generally appealing” sound (thank you Carson Daly). After sixteen tracks of only almost good songs, I decided I only almost wanted to drive a railroad spike through my forehead. It’s just all the more disappointing since MxPx has proved their talent several times over the past ten years. As far as the sound goes, listeners can expect plenty of harmonized vocals and energetic guitar riffs. At first “Play it Loud” appears to have a lot of potential but deteriorates into every other pop song you’ve ever heard. In short, Before Everything and After offers a Christian-oriented message to the tune of a Blink 182 song. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.