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Various Artists
ROCK AGAINST BUSH VOL. 1 and 2
(Fat Wreck Chords)
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Veteran punk-rockers like NOFX frontman Fat Mike, who was also responsible for starting the Fat Wreck Chords label, have been around long enough to have learned a political trick or two. So it’s no surprise that the punkvoter.com–allied "Rock Against Bush" tours never made it to Massachusetts — Fat Mike was concentrating his efforts in those all-important swing states. But if you want to get a sense of just how unified and sophisticated the punk-rock backlash against the Bush regime has been in this election year, these two compilations should do the trick. The two-disc Vol. 1 is an A-list compilation of punk tracks by everyone from veterans like Social Distortion to young guns like Sum 41, but it has a secret weapon: disc two is a cleverly disguised DVD of well-made documentaries that take aim, Fahrenheit 9/11–style, at George W. Bush’s record as our commander in chief. Fat Mike saved most of the heavy hitters who’d signed on for "Rock Against Bush" for Vol. 2, which is also a two-disc set, with previously unreleased tracks by Green Day, Dropkick Murphys, Foo Fighters, Sleater-Kinney, and Hot Water Music as well as salvos by Bad Religion and even No Doubt. Not everything on these discs is political — in fact, most of the songs aren’t aimed at Bush or his policies. But in a country where young people have a terrible record when it comes to voting, Fat Mike’s efforts, and the contributions of all the bands here, might just push a couple of those undecided states into the Kerry camp this Tuesday.
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