Search - Descendents :: Cool to Be You

They grew up! And it's great!

Ham Sammich | Columbus, OH United States | 07/10/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"When my husband and I met eight years ago, he had just discovered the Descendents and was in that holy-moly-this-is-the-best-thing-I've-ever-heard-in-my-life-there-is-no-other-music-head-over-heels-completely-infatuated phase of loving their music. Our first song was Silly Girl. He gave me a copy of Somery on our first date. For our first Valentine's Day, he gave me a copy of Everything Sucks. We, as a couple have a strong connection with this band.In general, however, I have quite a bit of trouble identifying with a lot of pop punk music (the exception being Screeching Weasel). I mean, it's usually catchy and fun, but rarely does any pop punk album become the kind of thing that I listen to obsessively because it's THAT GOOD. This should not be particularly surprising. I think there is a disease that inflicts the male writers of pop punk music-that somehow they're emotionally 10-15 years younger than their chronological age would indicate. Descendents are sort of a funny exception to that pop punk rule. Sometimes their songs can be emotionally inspirational almost to a fault (see: Bikeage). Other times they can be completely silly, bordering on incomprehensible (see: The All-o-Gistics). This sort of inconsistency, though leaving their music open to a very diverse fan base in age, can sometimes make their albums seem, well, inconsistent. I sort of decided that they just aren't an album band-they write great songs, but can't put together an album. Until...Until Cool to Be You. The Descendents have clearly grown into themselves. The beauty of this album is that it becomes clear that the Descendents and I grew up together. The silliness is still there, but it seems somehow more productive (?). I find "Mass Nerder" very inspirational. It is simultaneously an attack on the culture of stupidity and a celebration of not only being "smart," but also being good at school. Only Milo could find a way to make getting A's seem like the coolest thing ever. I also identify very much with "Nothing with You." There are few things in life that can be enjoyed more than watching some good TV with the one you love. "Blast Off" is just inexplicably enjoyable. This album is quite a bit more heavy on the darker side. And the dark moments are substantially darker than they have been in the past. "Anchor Grill" is completely heartbreaking. And it is the song on the album that most shows the band's age. While the vast majority of pop punkers are pining over girls, in "Anchor Grill," Bill Stevenson laments the lack of freedom that comes with being an adult couple. The song identifies such issues as a lack of time and money that can take a toll on an otherwise healthy adult relationship. But the absence of topical idealism doesn't make the song any less romantic or sweet. Now, THAT'S writing!!I don't really have the space to gush any more about particular songs. Suffice to say they're all great. The point is, they didn't want to grow up. Now that they did, I for one am really glad."

Different, but that's not necessarily a bad thing

Leroy Fakename | Anytown, USA | 05/26/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Let me start by saying that as a man in his mid-20s I was barely born by the time the Descendents started recording, and I honestly got into them because of Sublime's cover of Hope. So my review isn't based on 20 years of fandom, just on the music. Now, this CD is defintely different than old Descendents, but that is to be expected. These aren't the teenagers of Milo Goes to College, these are gentlemen in their late 30s, early 40s, who have a different view of the world. As I listened to this CD, I really noticed the different tone in the lyrics than previous works. The two songs that hit me the first time I listened to it were She Don't Care and 'Merican, two VERY different Descendents song. I like the use of overdubbing voices in She Don't Care, and it's nice to hear a "political" song from the guys, with 'Merican. Mass Nerder is another favorite, very Milo, if that makes sense. The rest of the CD is adequate, Cool to be You is a pretty good song, and I like the lyrics to One More Day, but somehow the lyrics don't match the music.I put the Descendents somewhat in the same class as Bad Religion, they've gotten older, and possibly a little more jaded (take Cool to be You as an example). No, they're probably not going to make Milo Goes to College or ALL again, just as Bad Religion probably won't make Suffer or No Control again, but just as the bands change, so must their fans. Let's just hope the next CD isn't another seven years in the making."

Cool To Be Reviewed

mflick35 | Minneapolis, MN | 04/27/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I've been listing to the Descendents for a very, very long time. I had mixed feelings after listing to this disc the first time. I wasn't thrilled and I thought it wasn't ALL that great. But wait, I said the same thing about "Everything Sucks" and as it turns out it's really quite excellent. As any long time fan of the Descendents knows, every new album explores their own stages of life and where they're "at" in life. I've been listing to the new disc more and more and every time it gets better and better. I've always related to their songs and the new tunes on the disc are no exception. This may not be the best starter CD for new listeners so I suggest start with "Milo" and work your way up in the order of their release. I've always enjoyed how they evolved. That's my 2 cents. Enjoy! "I want to be stereotyped. I want to be classified.""