Everything Sucks

The first album of original Descendents material since 1987’s All, 1996’s Everything Sucks came in the wake of the massive success of Green Day and The Offspring: two bands indebted to Descendents’ blueprint for melodic hardcore. Though the band members were older, Everything Sucks still managed to tap into the spiky youthful energy that had made Milo Goes to College—the band’s inaugural 1982 LP—a punk classic. Part of that energy came from the presence of guitarist Frank Navetta and bassist Tony Lombardo on “Doghouse" and “Eunuch Boy,” marking the first time all four original members had appeared together since 1982. The rest of the album features Aukerman backed by what's essentially the lineup of All, Bill Stevenson’s post-Descendents band. Even with this slightly misleading “reunion” lineup, some classic songs emerged. “I’m the One” reignited the energy of the early days while adding the maturity and full-throated delivery brought about by decades of experience.