Back catalogue: Punk/Hardcore

Review: Following on from their acclaimed genre-pioneering debut album Milo Goes To College in 1982, frontman Milo Aukerman of California punk heroes Descendents literally did just that, to pursue a career in biology of all things. With his bandmates touring the record without their titular vocalist and stretched between groups, especially drummer Bill Stevenson who wound up touring with Black Flag in the interim, the desire to craft a sophomore follow up was constantly at the back of their minds, and once Aukerman returned home to hear the more pop-centric direction of the new material Stevenson had been crafting, they jumped into the studio with little to no prep time to record what many regard as the first true pop-punk album - I Don't Want To Grow Up. With their earlier, raw sound slightly more polished and embracing hook-laden melodies at almost every sonic turn, mark our words when we say that there would be no Blink-182, no Millencolin and no persistent sub-genre squabbles if it wasn't for this potent and everlasting gem of a record, which also served as the first of two albums with guitarist Ray Cooper, while being their last with original bassist Tony Lombardo (who simply didn't want to tour).