More punk for your buck

Punk has become a taboo word in the music realm. It conjures images of unkempt teens with spiky, dyed hair who spend too much money keeping their "just-fell-outta-bed" look fresh. However, most punk musicians are actually normal-looking guys and gals who occasionally pick up a guitar, play fast, distorted licks and who usually store an extra Black Flag t-shirt and a pair of shades in the back of their cars. Time has shown us that punk lyrics often offer more substance than shallower pop songs, because punkers usually have something to say -- at least 50 percent of the time -- and Punk-O-Rama Vol. 9 does just what it should; it introduces listeners to the cream of today's punk band crop.\nFor less than $8, you get a 24-track album of raucous anthems from modern music's best punk, emo-pop and hard indie bands. With an 11-song DVD to boot, the buy makes it a sure bet. \nPunk-O-Rama Vol. 9 opens with the essential track, "Social Suicide," by the bad boys of Bad Religion from their new album, The Empire Strikes First, and continues with tracks by Rancid, the Dropkick Murphys (raise your glass to this Irish vocal team), the Weakerthans (replete with clever cat-lover lyrics), the Nekromantix (who are one of psychobilly's underground greats; its album, Return of the Loving Dead, should be an addition to every punker's record collection), the HorrorPops (sensuous, Danish girl rawk off Hellcat Records) and Tiger Army.\nThe DVD's stand-out track, "Miss Take" features pin-up girl, vocalist and stand-up bassist Patricia of the HorrorPops and guitarist Kim Nekroman, coffin banger of the Nekromantix, from the album Hell Yeah!. Patricia sounds like a dirtier version of Gwen Stefani, and her go-go dancers, Mille and Kamilla, who work with her at a piercing shop, wear their horizontal stripes just right.\nThe only cuts that don't make sense on the album are the Eminem-esque hip-hop songs "Trying to Find a Balance" and "The Keys to Life vs. 15 Minutes of Fame" by Atmosphere. However, with lyrics like "Stop writing rap songs and go play volleyball," it's slightly amusing.\nPunk-O-Rama Vol. 9 has a good thing going. It's like a fine wine tasting of the most addictive potpourri of punk bands currently releasing records. My only advice -- the next time around, the Punk-O-Rama team should leave out overly-emo love songs. I get enough sap while listening to the radio.