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Hot Water Music

Til the Wheels Fall Off
2008
No Idea

Hot Water Music - Til the Wheels Fall Off (Cover Artwork)

Review by: Brian
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Published on July 1st 2008

The title that adorns Hot Water Music's second rarities album is a bit of a misnomer, since the band's proverbial wheels have been reattached for sporadic reunion shows that have occurred over this past year or so. Does that really matter, though? Nope. What matters is that Til the Wheels Fall Off is a very strong collection compiling EP, splits and rarity tracks in one gruff punk rock release á la Cocktails & Dreams.

The first five are all unreleased songs from the Epitaph era. You can hear why "Last Goodbye" didn't make The New What Next, due to a very shaky and abrupt transition from verse to chorus, but that chorus is dope; Chris Wollard can be found earnestly signing "Everyone has their hands over their hearts / giving all their best advice... / It's no quick flight." These songs overall aren't bad at all, but it's tough to admit that they are pretty forgettable overall, this coming from someone who ranks Caution and The New What Next atop the band's discography.

The production immediately then becomes a little more roughshod, as up next are the excellent songs off their split with Alkaline Trio, including the depressing and even more glass shard-laden cover of Alk3's "Radio." The strummed opening of "Russian Roulette" hints at Chuck Ragan's solo work to follow, then chugs along with the full band at a briskly mid-tempo shake.

Following is the older split with Leatherface as well as a bunch of compilation tracks, with the Moonpies for Misfits EP sandwiched somewhere in there. That bass-plucked "Moonpies" song still rules, and you'll probably recognize a few of the comp tracks -- "Wayfarer," for one, which means contributions to Punk-o-Ramas made it onto here as well. Their covers of Circle Jerks' "Wild in the Streets" and the Clash's "The Clampdown" stand out mighty, too, pulled off with a funny sense of reckless abandon that's not really apparent anywhere else on the CD.

There are tons of Hot Water Music fans who find their pre- or post-signing to Epitaph era vastly superior than the other. With Til the Wheels Off pulling together the lost and less-noticed songs of both times, what results is a very solid and surprisingly cohesive release that should please both crowds.

STREAM
Kill the Night
Last Goodbyes
Seein' Diamonds

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Posted by misterspike on 2008-07-04 11:31:35
My Score:

Picked this up at their reunion show with Samiam in Orlando last January. I love b-side comps ... something about them always seems more Urgent to me. The only downside to them is for obsessive collectors (like yours truly), it's a purchase one makes to get Those Last Two Songs that you couldn't find anywhere. Nevertheless, a great collection.

And anyone who doesn't think "God Deciding" isn't among the greatest HWM songs Ever ... well, I don't think i want to know you.

Posted by Angiepants on 2008-07-03 01:48:09
My Score:

Moonpies is definitely the best HWM song ever.

Posted by wyzo on 2008-07-03 01:09:43
My Score:

who is where we belong about?

have about all of these songs already, or have had them at some point so no reason to buy this, but if you haven't, it is almost all very very good.

though if you don't have the leatherface split, not only is their another hwm song on their I hear is not on this one, but the leatherface side is equally good, if not in my humble opinion, better than HWM's, or the subsequent leatherface LPs that came after. altogether, it is one amazing split.

w

Posted by soundforlanguage on 2008-07-02 18:52:19

"moonpies for misfits" is the best HWM song...ever.

Posted by MN_punkmaster-skaman on 2008-07-02 16:53:43
My Score:

I had no idea B-side albums could be so damn good.

Posted by HOISTDATRAG on 2008-07-02 15:18:47
My Score:

I've been listening to this album pretty consistently for the past few weeks.. the Moonpies EP, the Turbonegro cover and Seein' Diamonds/Last Goodbye are all A .

Posted by smash_it_up on 2008-07-02 13:55:54

To you who wondered how much was out of print:
-Moonpies for misfits (both the 7"s and the CD)
-The comp from which Jaded Eyes was taken
-The Clash Tribute with Clampdown
-That comp from which Wild In The Streets is taken
Otherwise you can get all the songs, except Home on other records quite easily (So Many Days is on the vinyl of A Flight And A Crash)

Posted by bwisott on 2008-07-02 13:51:50
My Score:

HWM is the best. Period.

Posted by theonetruebill on 2008-07-02 13:46:12

So wait a minute, how much of this stuff is actually out of print then?

Posted by ChaosVCosmos on 2008-07-02 11:35:57

great collection, i listen to it way too frequently.

amazing cover art as well

Posted by cuapunkradio on 2008-07-02 11:19:24
My Score:

Some of the b-sides and split songs are incredible but a few definetly blow. 'Diamonds' is a classic

Posted by baseball on 2008-07-02 09:49:52
My Score:

It's HWM.

Posted by paulrulzdood on 2008-07-02 09:47:33
My Score:

this is good, but not as good as their real albums, but it's been 4 years almost since "the new what next" so screw it, I'll take it, even if I already had about half the songs on their original releases.

Posted by smash_it_up on 2008-07-02 09:41:02

They've left out three songs, actually, and that pisses me off severely. A cover of Authority Song from some obscure 80s cover album, "Dead End Streets" from their split with leatherface, and of course, where we belong. That last one they left off because of who it was about.
They could also have included the alternative version of The Bitter End from said leatherface split, simply because that song kicks so much ass it's almost too much to take.
And yes. So Many Days Home=naaaaah (at least not as good as the other Epitaph-era outtakes which were easier to get before this came out)

Posted by versus_god on 2008-07-02 08:14:20
My Score:

Awesome.

Posted by skitzo on 2008-07-02 00:03:16

the midnight oil cover was unexpected and amazing

Posted by cronophrog on 2008-07-01 23:08:19
My Score:

Score's for Moonpies EP, Split with Alk3, and Seein' Diamonds all on one comp.

Posted by primeevil7 on 2008-07-01 22:52:11
My Score:

Score's for the song Seein' Diamonds.

This disc is pretty awesome, too.

Posted by sweetsugarpezz on 2008-07-01 22:31:54
My Score:

what a fucking great bunch of songs.

Posted by thedude on 2008-07-01 21:55:34

i've asked this before and i'll ask again, why exactly was where we belong left off this collection while the rest of the moonpies for misfits EP is on there?

because it's not the first or last song of that EP, and it's one of their standout tracks, it doesn't seem like it's just a "we couldn't fit everything on here" type of deal, so what gives?

Posted by scientistrock on 2008-07-01 21:18:17

Garland Jeffereys sounds familiar

Posted by CCSummers on 2008-07-01 21:12:56

I believe the man you are reffering to is Garland Jeffreys

Posted by inagreendase on 2008-07-01 21:12:49

Yeah yeah yeah.

Posted by scientistrock on 2008-07-01 20:54:00
My Score:

You mean their cover of Circler Jerks' cover of "Wild in the Streets" by someone who's name I forgot.

Posted by facetofacereunion08 on 2008-07-01 20:47:23

these guys are prob my second fav band of the moment behind jawbreaker. both bands i just finally got into about a year ago. I think "fuel for the hate game" is the best but love all their stuff.

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