Casey Jones - The Few, The Proud, The Crucial (2004)

If emo has an enduring legacy, it's this: it has forced Hardcore to think about chord changes. The members of Casey Jones would probably shudder to see the word "Emo" mentioned anywhere near them, their stance is straight-up straight-edge, and they don't shy away from preaching about it either, but there's no question that these chord progressions come from someplace other than the Minor Threat songbook. That's not to say that there's anything as wimpy as a melody to be found on the album, but there's an underlying harmonic complexity to songs like "Just Another Day in the Fla," "Meaner Than a Junkyard Dog," and "Pigs Is Pigs" that belies their lyrical obviousness ("This is my pledge," "I refuse," "Grow up/Step up," "Where do you stand?," etc.). The between song vignettes are dumb and unnecessary, but the album ends with a brilliantly minimalist example of straight-edge hip-hop credited to one Johnny Unstoppable, who drops this deathless slant rhyme: "Back then my mom thought all my friends were Satanists/Now they're not even my friends, they're just acquaintances." Word.

Band: Casey Jones
Album: The Few, The Proud, The Crucial
Genre: Hardcore/Punk
Country: Jacksonville, Florida, United States
Label: Indianola Records
Release Date: Jan 6, 2004

"Tracklist"

01. "Just Another Day in the Fla"
02. "Know This X"
03. "Grown Assman"
04. "You Were Never a Fan of the Dry Hump"
05. "Strike Hard"
06. "Dead Kid? Try a Nice Memorial Tattoo"
07. "C. G. I. 2K3"
08. "Meaner Than a Junkyard Dog"
09. "If You're Smoking in Here You Better Be on Fire"
10. "Big Train, Raging Ice"
11. "Pigs Is Pigs"
12. "Pain 101"

The Few, The Proud, The Crucial ♪♫