DESCENDENTS
Live Plus One

THE REVIEW

The Descendents are one of the best bands in history, period, end of story. I'm not willing to debate this. I'm not the type to make lists and pick bests because music isn't a competition, but when someone points a gun at my head and shouts "Tell me the name of the greatest punk band of all time," eight times out of ten I answer "The Descendents." Often I think so even without guns. When I listen to "Live Plus One," I always think so.

It's 2001 when this live album is released, split between Milo's band and the side project ALL, which we will not discuss here. The recordings come from the '96 tour of "Everything Sucks," the album of resurgence among new punkettes devoted to the pale followers of the Californian band. At the time, our guys were no longer fresh-faced youngsters, but they had the energy and enthusiasm of youngsters, which combined with the experience of maturity give a devastating result. The setlist is varied and draws from their entire discography, with a special focus on the latest album and, of course, the masterpiece "Milo Goes To College," and it's delivered like a relentless barrage of fire.
I'm The One, I Like Food, Silly Girl, Coffee Mug, Hope (shot mercilessly almost at the beginning is every time a blow to the heart), Catalina, Bikeage, We, Cheer are offered one after the other almost without breaks by a band in a state of grace, enjoying a second youth, and it's heartening to hear old Milo and his mates so fit after fifteen years. They are having fun, the Descendents, and the audience is having fun with them: there's this feeling of euphoria that oozes from the speakers when listening to "Live Plus One," an infectious euphoria, so overwhelming that it's hard not to identify with the audience and return to adolescence singing Myage.

Frankly, what more could you ask for from a punk live album?