Epitaph – Release Date: 1/18/11

It’s been seven years since the release of their last album, but Social Distortion is now back with a new record, entitled Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes. By and large, it doesn’t stray far from their patented blend of punk, rockabilly and blues, though compared to 2004’s Sex, Love and Rock ‘n’ Roll, it clearly favors traditional rock influences more so than punk tendencies. The disc gets underway with an instrumental called “Road Zombie”, which features an aggressive tone and numerous impressive guitar solos. “Gimme the Sweet and Lowdown” opens with palm-muted guitar and the trademark snarl of legendary front-man Mike Ness, and like sunlight shining through the clouds, it just kind of sounds perfect. Also, the song is about as sugary, well-crafted and catchy as they come. “Writing on the Wall” slows the tempo down a bit, adds piano accents and tackles the age-old topic of lost love. It might be a cliché theme, but Ness’s sincerity and his ability to pull at the heartstrings really make it one of the top entries on the album. The record draws to a close with “Still Alive”, a fitting tale of resiliency and perseverance. Further points of interest include a cover of the Hank Williams song “Alone and Forsaken” and the fact that Ness produced this album himself. By no means is Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes Social D’s best record, but by all accounts it’s a sturdy effort that will surely satisfy longtime fans. Buy it and learn all the words before they inevitably roll through your town in the near future.