| The name of Old School 101's latest
album says it all: Pura Vida, which is Spanish for "Pure Life." It is not
a very well-thought-out title, nor is it original. Nevertheless, it hints at certain
simplistic optimism, a message Old School 101 (formerly Hogan's Heroes) strives to send to
its audience. Unfortunately, they sometimes hit the nail too smack-dab in the middle of
the head.
Pura Vida has some hardcore moments, but most of it is influenced by hook-laden,
chord-driven power pop/punk - however that combination can be interpreted given the
current state of music. One thing it means, though, is that while Old School 101 has
been influenced by greats like Social Distortion and Descendents, they never quite achieve
the same level of intensity as their punk predecessors. It's too bad, too, because
musically Old School 101 have quite a bit of talent. The sound, while not pioneering,
is far from being amateur.
What sets this album apart from other current pop/punk favorites, is the inherent
optimism, perhaps even sarcasm of the vocals. Old School 101 are the Beastie Boys of
the current punk scene; they rock pretty hard, but they make you laugh at the same time.
This can be an annoying or an endearing trait, depending on what you want from your
musical pulpit. At least the music is good, if nothing else.
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