Millencolin
Melancholy Tunes
Burning Heart/Epitaph
I think that every suburban American punk rock kid is issued a Millencolin album when they hit ninth grade. The Melancholy Collection can serve as sort of a syllabus to the study of Millencolin. The band has put together this compilation of their first two EPs, B-sides, a live song, covers, and songs from other compilations, apparently because these songs are hard to find outside of Europe and are expensive. It’s a noble idea, and one that works to the band’s advantage. The variations in production qualities make the album interesting, and fans will appreciate hearing the development of the band and their various styles. Random kazoo interludes and applause are interspersed throughout the album. Hard and fast punk make up the majority of the tracks, but the occasional ska-influenced track peeks through. I must admit, the Swedish band singing ska is a bit humorous to me. “Melack,” hard and fast with a catchy chorus, is the best track on here, with the ska riffs of “Use Your Nose” providing a nice contrast. The cover of “Knowledge” by Operation Ivy (a very popular cover song in the world of punk!) is entertaining, but doesn’t do the original justice. I think Millencolin might’ve been better off not releasing a few of these songs thought, notably “Pain” off their first EP and the cover of “Every Breath You Take.” I’d definitely recommend this album to Millencolin fans or anyone who wants an overall view of the band.
Burning Heart Records: http://www.burningheart.com • Epitaph Records: http://www.epitaph.com
