Sorry we ain’t hard enough to piss your parents off. Hatred’s not our policy. We tried that game and lost.
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In Jawbreaker’s time as a band they released four exceptionally great albums. And while each album was unmistakably Jawbreaker each album was significantly different from the one that preceded it. For any band this is quite an accomplishment. To evolve while still staying true to the band and all the while managing to keep up the original intensity can’t be an easy thing.
So this year Blackball Records (run by Jawbreaker drummer Adam Pfahler) re-released Jawbreakers first album, “Unfun”, on CD and Vinyl. If you don’t own this album or anything by Jawbreaker for that matter I highly recommend picking it up, especially the reissue. Long time fans and owners of the album like myself still have a reason to pick it up as well as it comes with re-mastered tracks and four bonus songs in the form of the “Whack & Blite E.P.” As usual I’m recommending the vinyl on this one. “Unfun” comes on a heavy stock clear vinyl with full lyric sheet and download code. It should be noted that the bonus EP is not on the record itself. You have to use the download code to get it. Also the vinyl does not come with the artwork for the bonus EP whereas the CD does. But this is seriously minor. If you want the real deal 1990 experience get the vinyl. If you want slightly better sound get the vinyl. If you want to know why Busy closes Side A and Softcore opens Side B get the vinyl. I’m tired of hearing people bitch that records suck because you have to get up and flip sides. This is why we’re a fucking obese country. The simple action of flipping sides allows you to get more out of an album than the simple sense of opening and closing that a CD provides.
Suffice it to say though, whether you get this on CD, Vinyl, or download you are getting a great fucking album. “Unfun” is a punk album through and through. Albeit an extremely dark and heavy punk album. Lyrically “Unfun” abandons the simple 1-2-F-U songs so many young punk bands write and goes for more of a deep literary feel, forcing listeners to examine the meanings of songs rather than have everything spelled out. Again, lazy obese Americans need not apply. Jawbreaker’s songs are rife with frustration, introspection, and depression. For example Schwarzenbach’s strained “whoa” at the end of Busy is said to be “screamed in the key of overwhelming despair” in the liner notes. But to say Jawbreaker are strictly morose would be missing he point as despite all the emotions therein “Unfun” manages to be an extremely confident statement of feelings. Not bad for three guys not even out of college yet.
On the back of the sleeve the band gives “thanks to you for throwing down for this record”. Right back atcha Jawbreaker. Right back atcha.
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