Bad Religion Album: “Suffer”

This CD is basically the So-Cal skate-punk blueprint and probably the best Bad Religion CD ever, period. Every track is loud, angry, straight-ahead, and catchy as heck. The most surprising thing, though, is that the subject matter of a lot of these songs seems almost more pertinent today than it was in 1988, in songs like "You Are the Government", "1000 More Fools", "What Can You Do?". Take a listen and hear for yourself...

Amazing album. Groundbreaking punk rock. Greg Graffin is a lyrical genius. The amount Bad Religion improved from How Could Hell Be Any Worse to Suffer is astounding. Every track is like an orgasm for the ears, but my personal favorites are You Are the Government, 1000 More Fools, How Much is Enough, When, Best For You, Suffer, and Do What You Want. Some mentally inferior classmates of mine always ask me how I know all these big words, and I think NOFX sums it up best: "I bought Suffer, and then I bought a thesaurus" While some bands may sound pretentious and arrogant using such a range of vocabulary in addition to their strong political statements, but Bad Religion pulls it off perfectly. Read for yourself:

Hey sit down and listen and they'll tell you when you're wrong.

Eradicate but vindicate as "progress" creeps along.

Puritan work ethic maintains its subconscious edge

As Old Glory maintains your consciousness.

I heard them say that the meek shall reign on earth,

Phantasmal myriads of sane bucolic birth.

I've seen the rapture in a starving baby's eyes,

Inchoate beatitude, the Lord of the Flies.

And that's just from 2 tracks. Trust me, Suffer is well worth your money. If you buy one Bad Religion CD, let this be it.

This is the first installment of the revamped Bad Religion after a 2 or 3 year hiatus. It's combined the early sounds of HOW COULD HELL BE ANY WORSE? and the later more melodic BACK TO THE KNOWN. Many people say that this is the best Bad Religion record and most of their 90's worked sucked. I disagree entirely, this is a band just starting to get it's stride, and it in no way compares to the musicianship of GENERATOR or STRANGER THAN FICTION. But all in all this is an incredible album, especially if you are a big fan of punk rock (which I am not), this along with the first ramones LP, Sex Pistols: NEVER MIND THE BOLLOCKS, the OPIV LP, DAMAGED by Black Flag, and anything by the Dead Kennedys. This is one of those albums that you can't be a punk rocker and not own.

1. You Are (The Government) 9/10

This is the best album by Bad Religion and it is my favorite cd out of all the cds I own. I have most of BR's albums and this is the most unbelievable thing I have ever heard. It's lyrics are powerful and the beat is fast paced and it is an awesome album for any rock fan, not just punk. If you are only going to buy one Bad Religion album (which would be a major mistake) buy this one because it is the best. No Control is similar and also excellent but it isn't as good as Suffer.

Bad Religion has gone through three phases: thrashing growling hardcore, to fast paced punk with intelligent lyrics, to still good but a little too hokey. Suffer is the landmark of them all. If you are a punk, rocknroll, hell, any kinda fan, get this cd. each track is a smack to the mind and ear, everything Bad Religion has is at its best in this album.