MxPx Albums (13)
'Triple Threat: 3 Shows Live'
Release Date 1/1/2009
Tracks 46
Label Red Dot Film Studios
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Secret Weapon is a return to form for MxPx in more ways than just continuing the back-to-basics approach of 2005's Panic. The Bremerton pop-punks have returned to their original label home, Tooth & Nail (the prior falling out between the two now water under the bridge), and they're working with original producer Aaron Sprinkle, who was at the controls for their debut. Whether or not these factors really had anything to do with the band sounding as revitalized as it does is up for debate, but regardless, as soon as the lead title track leaps from speakers amid fierce, machine-gun drumming, it's clear MxPx mean business. Secret Weapon is restless, spirited, and truly infectious from the raucous woahs and bouncy bassline driving "Shut It Down" to the bristling energy and spitfire vocals of "Chop Shop" to the uplifting, grab-your-friends chorus of "Here's to the Life." Unsurprising topics like scene celebrity, encounters of the major-label kind, and sentiments of living life to the fullest are addressed via crashing, melodic choruses, yet MxPx sound surprisingly unjaded considering the decade-plus they've been around. But really making it all worthwhile is that these 16 hyper-charged tracks actually sound inspired -- with more grit than gloss this time around -- and well, MxPx finally sound like they're having fun again. The 2006 release Let's Rock found them merely going through the motions, but Secret Weapon finds the trio back on track like fans remember from years ago. Welcome back guys. ~ Corey Apar, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Let's Rock is technically made up of new MxPx songs, the catch being that the tracks have all mostly been lying around the band's practice space for the past few years. Dating back to sessions from 2000, the songs are all castoffs from other albums that the guys felt finally deserved a second chance to see the light of day. So they gathered some together, finished them up, and along with three acoustic versions to top it all off -- tada! -- a new full-length appears. The results, however, are pretty mixed and it raises the question of whether these songs should have just been left alone altogether. The album sounds more Before Everything & After-era than Panic (though "Make Up Your Mind" sounds like it came directly off The Ever Passing Moment), and consequently, it's a pretty lukewarm pop-punk affair, largely lacking the arresting hooks and exuberance of MxPx's past. Though thankfully, they at least take it easy with adding synths this time around. Let's Rock is thus a pretty deceiving title, since the band spends more time soul-searching with midtempo numbers and quasi-ballads -- please someone get them some Red Bulls already -- with no fist-in-the-air rock-outs really to be found. And unfortunately for MxPx, they've always been much better at the latter than the former set. "Where Did You Go?" and "Don't Forget Me (When You're Gone)" are borderline irritating with Mike Herrera nasally whimpering along, the latter's repetition of "My heart still hurts" enough to make you want to smack him out of it after a bit. But there are a few standouts, like the rollicking "1 and 3," "Every Light," or even the cutesy acoustic number "Sweet Sweet Thing" -- though it's admittedly hard to see Herrera offending any girlfriend's family as much as he apparently does in the song. Let's Rock is not terrible by any means; it's just that MxPx seems to be simply going through the motions so much that after one spin, you'll want to throw Life in General back on instead. ~ Corey Apar, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Panic returns MxPx to the indie label ranks after a six-year sojourn at A&M. It sounds like it was the usual major-label shenanigans that drove them, fed up and tired, to L.A. imprint Side One Dummy. But regardless of what went down behind the boardroom doors, all fans really need to know is that Panic is MxPx's best album in years. The trio was lost in formula on 2003's Before Everything & After, their legitimacy as punk-pop veterans neutered by tepid balladry and production meddling. And in that sense, Panic is the band's true veteran statement, because it balances lyrics about being older (and sometimes wiser) with refueled musicianship. No string section overdubs here -- Panic keeps the emphasis on wrangling electric guitars and impatient, exciting rhythms (check the rowdy "Late Again"). Influentially, vocalist/bassist Mike Herrera and his mates still owe Green Day big. But there's a roughened Mike Ness sense to the vocals here, too, and the bashing attitude of Social Distortion and the Adolescents surfaces in "Young and Depressed" and "Get Me Out." (Herrera co-wrote the latter with Adolescents vet Steve Soto.) Of course, MxPx are no longer adolescents. But it's nice to hear them referencing what came before so directly, instead of detouring into the high volume ad jingle-ready pap major labels love salivating over. "Darkest Places" and "Cold Streets" are straightforward ragers with thick basslines, "woah! woah!" backing vocals, and shout-along choruses; the stronger vocal melodies of "Heard That Sound" and "Wrecking Hotel Rooms" carry them into more mature territory; and "Kicking and Screaming" features the sickest, fullest guitar tone of MxPx's entire career. Panic is as accessible as any of the baby pop-punk startups, but MxPx go further by threading the impulsiveness of before everything happened with the stronger songwriting of the days that came after. ~ Johnny Loftus, All Music Guide
'Before Everything & After'
Release Date 9/16/2003
Tracks 16
Label A&M
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What The Critics Say
Mike Herrera, Yuri Ruley, and Tom Wisniewski have been rocking the kids for Ten Years and Running, as their 2002 retrospective proudly puts it. While their third outing for A&M mostly traces the peaks and valleys of a bipolar relationship, tracks like "Play It Loud" and "Kings of Hollywood" assert the band's van-touring pride and dedication to "left coast punk rawk" [sic]. Reaching out to freshly minted suburbanite punk Benji Madden for guest vocals only solidifies the band's status as ten-and-five men. For Before Everything & After, the veteran trio has embraced the big-budget punk-pop treatment that regularly tweaks albums by junior leaguers like A New Found Glory or Madden's own Good Charlotte. Mixing from the ubiquitous Lord-Alge brothers squeegees clean each cut, plugging power chords into punchy drum fills, processing vocals to within an inch of their humanity, and putting pop accessibility way before any punk revivalist relevancy. You might recognize "Well Adjusted" from its role in a popular Pepsi commercial; in any case, its vintage Green Day crunch is powerful. The song's carefully cleansed grit will light up the LEDs on your car stereo, but if you can tell it apart from its brethren, you win a Hercules wristband. Following standard operating procedure, Before Everything's handful of rock anthems is accompanied by a midsection of pop-punk power ballads. Synths, treated piano, surging string sections, and robot vocal processing all dress up "Don't Walk Away" and "Quit Your Life," where Herrera gives his emotional perspective on a bicoastal romance. ~ Johnny Loftus, All Music Guide
'MxPx Lost in Japan'
Release Date 2/14/2002
Tracks 19
Label Universal Japan
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What The Critics Say
As MxPx gets increasingly mainstream, the more they downplay their image as a Christian band. However with The Ever Passing Moment, the band's second for A&M Records, the lyrics focus on themes which are not Christian rock per se, but definitely have some leanings in that direction. Before punk fans go running for the hills, it is important to note that these themes are not as in your face as most Christian music. In fact the messages of being true to yourself on the track "Prove It to the World" and not doing something just because its trendy on "Next Big Thing" are hard to distinguish from regular punk songs. There are no mentions of God or Jesus Christ, just uplifting sentiments that make the album stand out from the standard mainstream punk of bands like Green Day and blink-182. Beyond this, the album is, in essence, radio friendly punk with hard driving drumbeats and three chord guitar licks, and just maybe, its good for the soul. ~ Curtis Zimmermann, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
At the Show captures MxPx live in concert, running through 22 songs taken from nearly all of their albums. The band's punk-pop style has long favored the latter half of that term, and although these versions are sometimes rawer, they stick more to that original feel. It's intended more for devoted fans than anyone else, but those fans will likely find this to be the definitive live portrait of the band. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide
'Way of the Buffalo, Vol. 2'
Release Date 11/3/1998
Tracks 18
Label A&M
See Album Tracklist and Review
'Slowly Going the Way of the Buffalo'
Release Date 6/16/1998
Tracks 16
Label A&M
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
MxPx made the leap to the major leagues in 1998 with Slowly Going the Way of the Buffalo, their first album for A&M Records. The switch to the majors really doesn't make a difference, to tell the truth -- the group turns out another set of speedy, raucous punk-pop numbers that are fueled as much by attitude as songwriting. There's plenty of filler, but the record moves so quickly, it doesn't hurt the album, especially since the good songs do work their hooks into your brain. Listeners who don't care for late-'90s retro-punk won't have their minds changed by Slowly Going the Way of the Buffalo, but anyone who's followed MxPx or has a fondness for post-Green Day indie punk-pop will enjoy the record. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
