NOFX

Half Album (2024)

Mike Elfers

Punk rock's NOFX pin yet another tail onto their long winded farewell horse with the Half Album extended play.

The record opens with piano and vocal introduction a-la Wolves in Wolves' Clothing's "60%" with "Fake-a-Wish Foundation," a direct response to the long-time fan and inspiration of Single Album's "My Bro Cancervive Cancer." Who, turns out, completely fabricated his cancer diagnosis to meet his punk rock heroes and score free merch. Following the covering of bases, "I'm a Rat," a tune Fat Mike wrote originally for a Hi-Standard single last year is (covered?) next, and is begrudgingly the most "Classic NOFX" sounding song of the EP, complete with lightning fast double-time by drummer Erik "Smelly" Sandin.

"The Queen Is Dead" slips in next, a reworked (cover?) of a Burkett tune originally found on 2019's You're Welcome by his Cokie the Clown solo project. The updated version opens with the same picked acoustic guitar and dreadfully impaired vocals, but opens up quickly with a more traditional backing of the four-piece, …and impaired vocals. "The Humblest Man in the World" is next, a fun, half-time number about the lead singer of the band NOFX… the riffs are cool. "The Last Drag" closes out the release, a slow build about addiction, connecting the dots with Single Album's "The Big Drag." The tune slowly teeters faster over the six minutes, checking boxes down most of the band's more favorable musical eras, and is definitely the best out of the five.

So like clockwork, this completes another round in the slaughterhouse of NOFX recording sessions. The hide, thoughtfully distributed through seven inch collectables. The ribs, sirloins, and flank cuts, of course, reserved for Single Album," while the chuck, brisket, and rump roast conveniently rest aside for Double Album." Where does that leave Half Album? A cheap package of hot dogs made from the leftover head-cheese, cartilage, and sinew? Sure, but I have to hand it to Mike and company for using every part of the dead horse, and showing us how the food is made. Ideal for any NOFX fan following them to the very end.