Prison Bound

It's been awhile since we've had some Social Distortion. So here we go-

I'm prison bound

"After a five year absence due to a lingering drug problem, Mike Ness returned to the the punk rock scene with a radically revamped Social Distorton that is far removed from Mommy's Little Monster. The band shows an impressive growth and maturity that is far removed from the LA hardcore scene of the early 80's. Jangling acoustic guitars back almost every track, epic song lengths (4-5 minutes), and Ness's country influences appear on the band's second full record." (review from here, bold mine)

It definitely is a step away from the 80s OC/LA/SoCal punk scene, and I while have to admit I appreciate the Prison Bound and on- sound more, I continue to very much enjoy the Mommy's Little Monster sound. There's some tension over this, over the departure from the messier, rawer punk sound, but Mike and Social D are at home in this style, have excelled in it, and have come to be defined by it. The idea that they are discredited by going in this new direction is ridiculous; as they've matured, the music has gotten more powerful and more impressive, Mike's vocals become more reflexive (I know some people were upset, but the quality of his voice now makes me very appreciative of the development, what if all we had was untapped potential?) and the lyrics more complex. Not to say that the music wasn't good before-- Mainliner and Mommy's Little Monster should be in every way considered as as major a part of the catalogue as the later albums, and just as fantastic; it all depends on your preference. That's the problem with discussing the change in sound; it's impossible to lean more heavily on one without sounding like you're rejecting the other. So here we go. I love all of Social D. Yessir. And they put on a great live show, so check that out if you get a chance.