Every music fan has their dream collaborations. The idea of supergroups within a genre is always a fun conversation for music nerds to dive into, imagining what it would be like if their two favorite artists worked together on one song. When it comes to punk, it’s hard to dream up a more eclectic lineup than the members of OFF! The band is led by The Circle Jerks’ Keith Morris on vocals and Burning Brides’ Dimitri Coats on guitar, in late 2009 the duo formed OFF! The band has gone through multiple lineup changes, switching out some of punk’s greats with one another and their current lineup is no different. The rest of the four-piece consists of Justin Brown on drums and Autry Fulbright on bass, with this line up the band is set to release their first new album in 8-years.
FREE LSD is the band’s fourth album and easily their most ambitious yet, playing on classic punk tropes to provide 20 hard-hitting tracks that are topical and frantic. Without having to reinvent the punk wheel, OFF brings a refreshing take to the genre with this new, meticulously put-together album.
If you think you can hit shuffle and let the album play, think again. One of the more ambitious aspects of the album is the transition from track to track. This is not your typical tracklist, each song is placed exactly where it needs to be placed in the grand scheme of the album. Each song bleeds into the other seamlessly, giving FREE LSD an almost movie-like feeling, placing every element of the album exactly where it needs to be. The subtle horns on the instrumental interludes signal a new section of the album, segmenting the album into four distinct sections with each new section being a little different than the last. While the album may be split up into different sections, these sections transition into one another with ease, being strung together by the band’s undeniable chemistry and underlying love for pure punk chaos.
While the overall tone of the album leans towards classic punk tempos, there are rhythmic exceptions that give FREE LSD a distinct sound from any other punk record you’ve heard this year. With Brown on percussion, his fast-paced drum fills and ability to stand out without sacrificing the overall song give OFF’s sound a facelift. While a lot of the album leans on classic punk song structure, the way the melodies interact with the drum pattern gives these songs a feeling that is equal parts hardcore and melodic, creating an almost trippy feeling. Take the song “Invisible Empire” for example, at its core the distant vocals and up-tempo guitar strings harken back to the early days of punk while the drumming seems to come from the future, the combination ushers in a new and more artistic-centered sound for the four-piece.
There is no mainstream stylings on these songs, this is punk in its purest form and that purity stems from the songwriting. Morris’ classic anti-establishment lyrics feel refreshing and with everything that has gone on in the world since OFF’s last album, this new batch of songs couldn’t have come at a better time. Morris dives into a range of topics that all lead back to one central idea, anti-government. His DIY mindset is the driving force of these lyrics but the point of these lyrics is all but personal. Songs like “Ignored” are meant to be screamed by anybody who feels voiceless, providing a soundtrack to the revolution the band is waiting for. Morris had plenty of political topics to choose from when he wrote this album, instead of tackling one touchy subject at a time, his words paint a fiery landscape that denounces any and all social structures and praises resistance.
The impenetrable, cinematic wall of sound that is OFF’s FREE LSD is the band’s best music to date. The band hit a stride during the recording process and stayed in this experimental pocket of creativity long enough to provide 20-tracks of unfiltered punk chaos. The attention to detail on this album pays off in a major way and creates a consistent and enthralling piece of music that is going to please the stingiest of punk fans. My advice Before pressing play on the album, remove all distractions and allow the controlled chaos of FREE LSD to fill your headphones with bright melodies and harsh realities.
