Band : NOFX
Album title : Cokie The Clown
Label : Fat Wreck Chords
Distributor : Sonic Rendezvous
Release date : 24/11/2009
Release : (5-track) Mini-CD

I’m sure I don’t have to give you an insight on this rather popular American Pop Punk act’s history, right? For those needing one anyway (where have you been if not having heard of this band before), check out the band’s page at Wikipedia or at their label’s website fatwreck.com (owned by NoFX singer/ bassist Fat Mike, by the way)!

While writing and recording the material for their 2009 album Coaster, the band came up with a total of 20 songs, 13 of which made it to the album, 2 others on the bonus handnumbered CD that went with the limited first edition of the album (handed out to some of those whom had pre-ordered the album) or on the 7-inch single that went along with the vinyl release of the album under the title Frisbee…and 5 songs that were set aside for future release on this EP. Not the leftovers, mind you, because the band chose to set aside the pick of the litter. Before concentrating on the EP some more, I’d like to give you some data concerning Coaster. You see, it was the first album on Fat Wreck Chords to be sold the label’s new promise that all of the label’s CDs would cost under $10.00, with many priced less than $8…Fat Mike stating, “This is not a sale. This is how much this CD costs. We make less profit, but bands will sell more CDs to more people, which is why we started doing this in the first place.” Obviously, the move was instigated with the US’s lamentable economics, and with fans thinking twice about spending their money on music at the prices CDs usually go, it definitely instigated Pop Punk fans to continue buying records from the label. Proof of that the positive way in which the album was received, making it to #36 in the Billboard 200 chart, the same position in the Digital Albums charts, #9 in the Rock Albums charts, and getting #7, #6 and #4 notations in the Alternative Albums, Tastemakers and Independent Album charts respectively!

Getting back to the EP’s material, it’s really among the best the band has on offer, and evidence of why NoFX are the top in their league. If you’re among those that had been living on another planet in the last 20 years or so, you might get acquainted with the band’s music by checking out myspace.com/nofx, where the band posted the EP’s title track, 2 songs off the Coaster album, and 3 others off an equal amount of older albums. Have fun!

90/100

Tony.