All

Pummel (1995)

Jon

All's major label debut Pummel changed a lot of things for the band and the future of punk rock. The band financed the infamous Blasting Room; home to many great punk albums in history. Pummel was the second release with third vocalist Chad Price and the record really showed off the versatility off his voice. All's first and only major label release was bold and at times a lot heavier than anything the band had ever recorded.

The musicianship between Stephen Egerton, Karl Alvarez and Bill Stevenson, whether it's All or the Descendents, makes it clear: these guys can churn out great songs. Pummel isn't any different. Egerton's tasty riffs shine through on tracks like "Not Easy" and "Hetero," while Stevenson's signature drumming stands out on "Gettin' There," while Alvarez adds his bass licks to the forefront of "On Foot." The band is at its most solid with Price as the lead. The dynamic sounds between Price and the instrumentation are one of the best things about this era of All.

While both Dave Smalley and Scott Reynolds were great frontmen, Chad Price ultimately stands out as the supreme singer of All. His voice is soft yet visceral and has the proper amount of attack to harness both the melodic side of All as well as shorter, faster songs like "Uncle Critic" and "Stalker." The transition between grittier songs such as these from the more melodic songs flows uncannily on Pummel.

The record followed Breaking Things by adding heavier tracks into the mix of normal melodic punk. Songs like "Shreen" off Breaking Things were relatively catchy. Many of the songs off Pummel aim more to get in your face than stuck in your head. While there still are more melodic songs like "Long Distance" and "Self Righteous," the album certainly showcases a different side of All.

Despite never really reaching the success of The Descendents, All's only major label record put the band on the map from MTV to late night performances on Conan O'Brien. The grittier sound definitely defied the odds of All being on a major label writing the least poppy songs of their career. While the lyrical content isn't much different from previous records, All's entrance into heavier songs with grittier guitar and vocals that certainly makes Pummel a stand out album in the band's career.