Social Distortion is a band that has been doing the rounds since the punk explosion of the 70's and to mark their thirty years together in the business they have released their first ever greatest hits album, cunningly titled
Greatest Hits. Though to prove they aren't still in the 70's they have taken the modern approach to greatest hits albums by adding one brand new song.
So onto the music is it actually any good? Well it's not as good as I remember it. My mum being a big punk fan really liked Social Distortion and I have vague memories of her and myself dancing round the living room to
Mummy's little monster when i was younger but now they sound like a second rate Ramones. (Now i am old enough to know enough about both bands i can say that of course I didn't come to this conclusion when i was 4 obviously.)
There is enough on this album to take me down memory lane and there are some pretty catchy songs on here that get you from the start like
Story Of My Life but as the album goes on it just sounds like you are listening to the same songs over and over again, they found their formula and stuck to it (which isn't always a good thing) and it would probably be best if i didn't even get started on their cover of the Johnny Cash classic
Ring of Fire. (Which definetely isn't a good thing...ever)
The upside though is you have a fun feel good rock n roll album that is good for easy listening in the background at social events and it is good for a wee nostalgia trip if this is a band of your youth, like it is for me. But other wise it is pretty average and if you only had money for one album then this wouldn't get the recommendation from me, because as good as
Bad Luck is, one song can't make an album.
For those who want to hear Social Distortion without parting with some of their well earned money, check out
www.myspace.com/socialdistortion there is four tracks on there.
