Reviews – Masterpieces: 1991-2002
Photo 2004 by Anna Clive
PUNKNEWS.ORG
Rating: 4/4
Try and remember back in the late 90’s, junior high, or high school for most of us; what were you listening to? Reel Big Fish’s "Beer," Catch 22’s "9mm and a Three Piece Suit," or was it Mustard Plug’s "We’re Gonna Take on the World?" Ska was hot property in the late 90’s, with the Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Less Than Jake, and others proudly parading the third wave. It seems like Mustard Plug often get lost amongst the others, however, but their retrospective Masterpieces: 1991-2002 is giving the kids one more chance to listen.Spanning eleven years, thirteen different members, and 19 tracks, this really is the complete history of Mustard Plug, with tracks being contributed from Yellow #5, Skapocalypse Now, Big Daddy Multitude, Evildoers Beware, and finally, Pray for Mojo. Every album is at least somewhat represented, with comments from the band members on each individual song in the liner notes as well as a host of pictures and the story of how the band started in the first place. The booklet is impressive, but how’s the music? Well, if you’re at all familiar with Mustard Plug, you already know just what you should be expecting.
A whole lot of fun. The album exhibits a good amount of continuity, considering the band has had two different drummers, two different trombonists, two tenor saxophonists, and two bassists. Dave Kirchgessner, however, has been the singer throughout the band’s entire career, and he sounds just as fresh and lively in the old recordings as the new. The catchy, rock’n’roll singalongs, such as "Throw a Bomb" are represented just as well as the more horn-oriented tracks, like "You" and "Just a Minute." Mustard Plug know when to turn the amps up, and when to turn them down and let the horns do the talkin’, which is admirable if nothing else. "You" is a rousing track stuck right in the middle of the album, in perfect placement for the infectious grooves and vocals.
Normally, I’d complain about a ska record closing in on an hour’s duration, but I was having so damn much fun that I can’t bring myself to bitch.
The latter half keeps the hits coming with fan favorites "Box," "Skank By Numbers," and the aforementioned "We’re Gonna Take on the World," which captures the Plug’s youthful spirit better than just about any other song. The guitar and horn combination on "Safe" is terrific and "Mendoza," despite slowing things down, keeps the flow going nicely. There’s not really a whole lot to say; chances are, you’ve made up your mind about Mustard Plug by this point in your life, and for any fan, this collection is a must-have. For those not previously acquainted with the boys of Mustard Plug, why not start right now?
ALL MUSIC GUIDE
by Johnny Loftus
Rating: 4/5
Write catchy songs. After ska, after punk, after three different bassists and over a thousand shows, that’s still Mustard Plug’s three-word mantra. Masterpieces: 1991-2002 is the group’s official history and highlight reel, but it also reaffirms what they’ve always been about. The liner notes include song descriptions written by original members Dave Kirchgessner and Colin Clive. But while they talk about writing in the style of their heroes, or tackling the occasional tough social message, they always admit it’s the singalong choruses or relentlessly happy ska rhythms that endure. And in this they cannot be faulted. You can’t accuse them of loafing off, either. Mustard Plug were around when everyone but the dedicated hated ska, especially its more raucous ska-punk hybrid. Later, when the third wave movement really took hold, they represented the Midwest. And finally, after No Doubt’s platinum ascendancy and the ska scene’s return to its underground berth, Mustard Plug washed their yellow jackets and kept on going. Masterpieces includes all the fan favorites — "Beer (Song)," "You," "Mr. Smiley." (The latter still suggests a horn-y version of Depeche Mode’s "Just Can’t Enough" for some weird reason.) "Go" and "Safe" show the influence of California punk-pop like NOFX and Pennywise on Mustard Plug, while early Big Daddy Multitude material like "Skank by Numbers" and "Brain on Ska" and the Evildoers Beware gem "Mendoza" are still ska-punk standard-bearers. Will ska ever enjoy a fourth wave? If it does, Mustard Plug will likely be in the thick of it, having some laughs and writing some catchy songs. And hopefully one of them includes another opportunity for Colin Clive to rap about ladies’ underthings.THEPUNKSITE.COM
by Bobby Gorman
Rating: 4/5
There aren’t too many ska bands around these days, and for that, I’m glad. Not because I hate the genre, because in reality, I love it. But, if there were millions of ska bands around, the genre would be flooded and ruined, which would really be quite a sad thing. Yeah, in the mid nineties it blew up and everyone was playing ska, but it soon melted away. Nonetheless, there are a few bands which have stayed from the beginning and have remained faithful to the spectacular genre, one of those bands is Mustard Plug. The band, which formed in 1991, has released five albums and is currently in the middle of writing a new album and setting up a DVD. During this slight downtime, their long time label, Hopeless Records decided to sift through their five releases and select the best songs and release them as a greatest hits CD: Masterpieces: 1991-2002.The nineteen track album features all of the band’s most famous songs and really shows why they’ve lasted so long. Whether the songs are from Big Daddy Multitude or Yellow #5, each and everyone is full of toe-tapping ska melodies that never fail to entertain. The songs, which aren’t in chronological order, still are able to paint a vivid picture of the band’s career and growth. That’s not saying their older songs are pulling the album down, because in fact, some of the older ones are the highlights. They are ska-punk songs are the best there can be. Catchy, fist pumping, toe tapping, skank inducing songs that get you shouting the chorus along with the band.
With songs like Beer (Song), Mr. Smiley, Lolita, Go, You, Brain On Ska, Everything Girl, Skank By Numbers, Box and We’re Gunna Take On The World, you know the CD will be great. The only song that would make the album more complete would be their cover of Verve Pipe‘s The Freshman. Although long time fans of the band will love the CD and the little background information about the songs in the booklet, it really doesn’t show anything they’ve haven’t heard before. There isn’t a single unreleased track on here, so chances are they already own most of them. But for casual fans like myself,Masterpieces: 1991-2002 is a gold mine of epic proportions. Any ska fan should pick it up.
Oh, and enhanced CD portion features two music videos for you to watch.
4TH WAVE.COM
by Jerry Two Tone
Well Its Winter…Who’s Happy…Not Me…The snow and bad driving has arrived…but thankfully Hopeless Records has delivered a warm career retrospective to keep us toasty in this the worst season of them all…so raise a glass to band they call Mustard Plug.
Mustard Plug : Masterpieces: 1991-2002
A nineteen song career retrospective with tunes off each and everyone of their releases. You really can’t go wrong with a collection like this. If you are a fan of the band and own all of the records already you might be asking yourself why you should bother buying this comp…the booklet alone is worth the asking price. The back page features pictures of every member past and present and breaks down who plays what and on what track. Within the booklet you have little blurbs from some of ska music’s finest recalling their fave Mustard Plug tidbits and band members write little memoirs about each track on the record. The only down side…no new tracks…only the videos for You and Everything Girl.
I would list standout tracks but on a best of that seems a little redundant don’t you think…
A fun compilation cd that fits nicely in a stocking…think about it…
