NOFX is still quite awesome-bad live

By Eric Jaen
Collegian Editor
December 5, 2007

Live albums are generally regarded by some music fans as a cop out made by a band for the sole purpose of fulfilling a contractual obligation, while others may turn to them as a “best of,” serving as a suitable starting point for their first dosage of rock. By that definition, where does that leave They’ve Actually Gotten Worse Live, the second installment of live cuts from California punk rock vets NOFX? With vocalist Fat Mike’s own Fat Wreck Chords paying the bills and a “best of” already on store shelves (The Greatest Songs Ever Written (By US!)), the need for yet another live album doesn’t make much sense.

But seriously, when has NOFX ever really cared about making sense (see: “My Vagina”)? In fact, They’ve Actually Gotten Worse Live is a pretty dang good collection of jams selected from the band’s ever-extensive discography.

For starters, fans will notice that the “set list” doesn’t contain any repeats from 1995’s I Heard They Suck Live!!, and includes numerous rarities such as “Glass War,” “New Happy Birthday Song” and “Can’t Get the Stink Out.” Diehard fans of So Long and Thanks for All the Shoes will devour the seven straight minutes of no holds-barred Shoes action as NOFX blisters through such popular tracks as “Eat the Meek,” “Murder the Government,” “Monosyllabic Girl” and “I’m Telling Tim.”

While it’s quite refreshing to hear live takes of “Green Corn” and “The Longest Line,” it would have been interesting to hear just a few updated versions of “Linoleum” or “The Brews.” Even the act’s rendition of Rancid’s “Radio” would have been a lovely addition to the track listing as well.

Recorded over a three night span, with the best songs from each night making the final cut, the sound quality of They’ve Actually Gotten Worse Live is top notch, and while a bit sloppy at times, the performance is fairly tight. For the most part, almost every note and melody was spot on, while the drumming managed to keep in time. Furthermore, as any NOFX fan would expect, a few of the lyrics were slightly modified, as heard in “What’s The Matter With Parents Today” (“Lyin’ round on the couch, with My Chemical Romance records on”). Mix these elements with some inebriated stage banter and crowd reactions and you’ve got yourself a satisfactory recreation of a bona fide NOFX live experience.

Possibly the most heartbreaking thing about this album comes in the form of the hidden track. Here, the band begins playing the first two or three minutes of its 18-minute long satirical masterpiece “The Decline,” which has been the one song that fans have been itching to hear live in its entirety for years, and it fades out to end the album. And the worst part about it is listeners are left unsure as to whether or not the song was completed the night of the show. Could there be a continuation of “The Decline” on a future EP or seven-inch in the works?

They’ve Actually Gotten Worse Live is a solid album and a must-have for any loyal NOFX fan, especially those who are not fortunate enough to catch the group’s escapades on tour. On the other hand, newbies looking into picking up their first album should look into a proper full-length or an EP before checking out either live album.

jaene1@lasalle.edu