The One Voted Most Likely To Succeed

Most rock artists talented and fortunate enough to enjoy long careers struggle creatively as the years pass. Forming a balance between the more hallowed, youthful recordings and any contemplated musical sojourns into more lucrative, experimental, or just plain temperate musical waters is a delicate task that bands often handle poorly. Fans of Canadian punk icons SNFU endured the identity-crises pop of the band's first Epitaph release, Something Green & Leafy This Way Comes, but are rewarded as the group offers a more familiar, yet modern sound on The One Voted Most Likely to Succeed. Vocalist Mr. Chi Pig scurries back to his peculiarly inane lyrical themes, avoiding the super-serious quackery that botched the cosmetic musical surgery attempted on SNFU's previous release. Pig is joined by original members Brent and Mark Welke on guitar and the group's mid-'90s rhythm section of Dave Rees and Rob Johnson. All involved handle the record's more difficult material with grace and power. Standout cuts include A Better Place with it's catchy, but undeniably punk choruses and the rapid-fire Bumper Stickers. Manual threatens with it's awkward self-consciousness, but, thankfully, SNFU sticks to the punk script, making The One Voted Most Likely to Succeed one of their best '90s releases. ~ Vincent Jeffries, All Music Guide