Mxpx - Acoustic Collection/Demos Collection Vol 1

New Mxpx is always good in my book. Even just new renditions of old songs. Luckily Mxpx has given us two new records to hold us over until there's real new material.

The Acoustic Collection is great! It's a great mix of some classics and a couple of newer songs.The album starts with Doing Time, a version that feels similar to Mike's version on Live From the Basement, but I still like  it. It's the older songs, where a slower, new spin and emotion has been placed and focused. Songs Like My Mom Still Cleans My Room, For Always, and the almost folksy Punk Rawk Show, each one taking on a new dimension you never noticed before. Already "sad" newer songs like You're On Fire, Never Better Than Now, and Drowning all take on a desperate, heartbreaking quality. There's a depth to the songs that you don't always notice in their original punk form. And the Acoustic Collection shows the depth of Mike's songwriting.

The Demos Collection is a great look at the rawness that is Mxpx. It's punk rock at it's core. All the tracks come from all albums after The Ever Passing Moment (starting with Before Everything and After). There's a bunch of Before Everything, Secret Weapon, and Plans demos. The songs don't deviate a ton from the originals. A couple of lyrics changes here and there, but the demos provide a raw, unproduced, unmixed look at Mxpx. And it's fun. The band called this collection Vol 1, so I hope that means more is on the way. And I hope that somewhere, someone can find earlier demos.

Mxpx fans will love both of these records!