Pennywise – Yesterdays – Review

Pennywise, the band from Hermosa Beach are back with their eleventh album: Yesterdays
The title of the new Pennywise album already says it all, Yesterdays is a look back at the past while keeping in mind about the future. In fact the album sees the come back of the former front-man of the band Jim Linderberg after he left in 2008 and most likely he works out as an influence in the choice of revisiting songs from the late 80’s. “Slow Down” was originally a bonus track of “Unknown Road” (1993) and “No Way Out,” was a song already present in “A Word from the Wise”, the EP released in  1989, which was already re-released in 1992 on the compilation album “Wildcard/A Word from the Wise”. Yesterdays is also a tribute to the former bassist Jason Thirsk, who left the band in 1996 to rehabilitate from alcohol problems and that few months later took his own line. ‘I Can Remember’ reflects the memories that Lindberg had of Thirsk while ‘She’s A Winner’ was a song written by Thirsk and the band referring to Thirsk’s at the time girlfriend. The album is at the same time a tribute and also a manifesto of the bands roots, it looks like Pennywise wants to tell us that they never left their ideas and ideals. The early years fans will easily recognize in Yesterdays one of the albums that represents the roots of the band and must be also seen as a tribute to the fans that supported the band over the years. The sound is the classical melodic punk of the SoCal (South California) scene, it is old school but at the same time it sounds renewed and restored. Obviously I suggest that you listen to the album if you are fans from day one and if you are not among them then this is your opportunity to spend your day to amplify your musical knowledge and learn something from the old school.

TRACKLIST WITH RATINGS:
01 – What You Deserve – 8
02 – Restless Time – 7,5
03 – Noise Pollution – 8
04 – Violence Never Ending – 8,5
05 – Am Oi! – 8
06 – Thanksgiving – 7,5
07 – She’s A Winner – 8
08 – Slow Down – 8,5
09 – Public Defender – 8
10 – No Way Out – 8,5
11 – I Can Remember – 8

ALBUM RATING: 8

KEY SENTENCE:
“Don’t tell me how you think I should act
Don’t tell me principles I lack
Don’t tell me what is right from wrong
Don’t tell me – heard your shit too long
You want me to change but it’s always something
Not gonna live my life your way” – Noise Pollution

Reviewed by R.D.