All

iTunes Review

The final studio album from the original Descendents before singer Milo Aukerman left the group and the remaining members formed All, All, the album, is the group’s most accomplished. The nearly non-existent four-second-long tracks, “All” and “No, All!,” play towards the group’s silly side, but a masterful pop tune such as “Coolidge” makes for a powerful punk-pop experience with vocal harmonies, crunching guitars and Bill Stevenson’s out-of-control drums coming together to create the blueprint for all future mainstream punk acts. “Van” emphasizes the group’s musical chops and sounds like a progressive rock band attempting to slide past as a punk group. The cool funk intro of “Cameage” flattens out for the steamrolling chorus. “Impressions” suggests the moody introspection of grunge. But it’s “Clean Sheets” that steals the spotlight with a tune so catchy and a lyric so sadly desperate that it’s positively criminal the band never made it beyond cult status. Future reunions led to sell-out crowds, but back in the ‘80s, the band was merely a footnote to most.