Somery
Encyclopedia
Somery is a compilation album
by the Los Angeles
-based punk rock
band the Descendents
, released in 1991 through SST Records
. It compiles songs from the Fat EP (1981) and the albums Milo Goes to College
(1982), I Don't Want to Grow Up
(1985), Enjoy! (1986), and All (1987).
had purchased the Descendents' previous label New Alliance Records
, releasing their 1987 album All and re-releasing all of their previous material. Following the Descendents' final tours in Spring and Summer of 1987, singer Milo Aukerman
had left the band to pursue a career in biochemistry
. The remaining members, bassist Karl Alvarez
, guitarist Stephen Egerton, and drummer Bill Stevenson, changed the band's name to All
and released three albums on the SST subsidiary Cruz Records between 1988 and 1991 with singers Dave Smalley
and Scott Reynolds. SST also released the live Descendents albums Liveage! (1987) and Hallraker: Live! (1989), both recorded during the final two Descendents tours. Somery was released in 1991, compiling tracks from the Descendents' past studio releases. Stevenson created the cover art for the compilation while Egerton did the graphics. The Descendents would later reunite with Aukerman in 1995 to record Everything Sucks
.
of Allmusic gave Somery four and a half stars out of five, saying that although "a handful of great songs from their best albums are missing, Somery nevertheless selects the highlights from their occasionally uneven records, making it a useful and comprehensive retrospective." Erlewine's colleague Mike DaRonco called it a felony
that "Pep Talk" from All was not included on the compilation. Jenny Eliscu of Rolling Stone
called Somery "the only Descendents record to qualify as must-have. It's got virtually all of the winning songs, from the goofy hardcore tunes [...] to the more commercial-sounding rockers".
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
by the Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
-based punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band the Descendents
Descendents
The Descendents are an American punk rock band from Hermosa Beach, California. As of 2011, they have released six studio albums, three live albums, three compilation albums and three EPs. The Descendents broke up and reformed several times over the years, sometimes with different musicians...
, released in 1991 through SST Records
SST Records
SST Records is an American independent record label formed in 1978 in Long Beach, California by musician Greg Ginn. The company was initially called Solid State Transmitters through which Ginn sold electronics equipment...
. It compiles songs from the Fat EP (1981) and the albums Milo Goes to College
Milo Goes to College
Milo Goes to College is the debut album by the Manhattan Beach, California-based punk rock band the Descendents, released in 1982 through New Alliance Records...
(1982), I Don't Want to Grow Up
I Don't Want to Grow Up
I Don't Want to Grow Up is the second album by the Manhattan Beach, California-based punk rock band the Descendents, released in 1985 through New Alliance Records...
(1985), Enjoy! (1986), and All (1987).
Background
In 1987 SST RecordsSST Records
SST Records is an American independent record label formed in 1978 in Long Beach, California by musician Greg Ginn. The company was initially called Solid State Transmitters through which Ginn sold electronics equipment...
had purchased the Descendents' previous label New Alliance Records
New Alliance Records
New Alliance Records was the record label founded by The Minutemen's D. Boon and Mike Watt and longtime friend and associate Martin Tamburovich after the example of Black Flag's SST Records...
, releasing their 1987 album All and re-releasing all of their previous material. Following the Descendents' final tours in Spring and Summer of 1987, singer Milo Aukerman
Milo Aukerman
Milo Aukerman is an American singer, songwriter and research biochemist. Aukerman is perhaps most widely known for being the lead singer of the early Los Angeles area punk rock band the Descendents, a group widely considered to be pioneers of modern "pop punk"...
had left the band to pursue a career in biochemistry
Biochemistry
Biochemistry, sometimes called biological chemistry, is the study of chemical processes in living organisms, including, but not limited to, living matter. Biochemistry governs all living organisms and living processes...
. The remaining members, bassist Karl Alvarez
Karl Alvarez
Karl Matthew Alvarez is the bass guitar player for both the Descendents and All, the band that resulted after the Descendents disbanded again in 1987....
, guitarist Stephen Egerton, and drummer Bill Stevenson, changed the band's name to All
ALL (band)
All is an American punk band originally from Los Angeles, currently residing in Fort Collins, Colorado, formed by Descendents members Bill Stevenson, Karl Alvarez, and Stephen Egerton.-Formation and Cruz Records Years:...
and released three albums on the SST subsidiary Cruz Records between 1988 and 1991 with singers Dave Smalley
Dave Smalley
Not to be confused with Dave Smalley Dave Smalley is an American musician, best known as the punk bands DYS, Dag Nasty, All and singer/guitarist with Down By Law. He is known for his influence on pop punk music and his early contributions to the emo genre...
and Scott Reynolds. SST also released the live Descendents albums Liveage! (1987) and Hallraker: Live! (1989), both recorded during the final two Descendents tours. Somery was released in 1991, compiling tracks from the Descendents' past studio releases. Stevenson created the cover art for the compilation while Egerton did the graphics. The Descendents would later reunite with Aukerman in 1995 to record Everything Sucks
Everything Sucks (Descendents album)
Everything Sucks is the fifth studio album by the punk rock band the Descendents, released in 1996 through Epitaph Records. It was their first album of new studio material since 1987's All, after which singer Milo Aukerman had left the band to pursue a career in biochemistry...
.
Reception
Stephen Thomas ErlewineStephen Thomas Erlewine
Stephen Thomas Erlewine is a senior editor for Allmusic. He is the author of many artist biographies and record reviews for Allmusic, as well as a freelance writer, occasionally contributing liner notes. He is also frontman and guitarist for the Ann Arbor-based band Who Dat?Erlewine is the nephew...
of Allmusic gave Somery four and a half stars out of five, saying that although "a handful of great songs from their best albums are missing, Somery nevertheless selects the highlights from their occasionally uneven records, making it a useful and comprehensive retrospective." Erlewine's colleague Mike DaRonco called it a felony
Felony
A felony is a serious crime in the common law countries. The term originates from English common law where felonies were originally crimes which involved the confiscation of a convicted person's land and goods; other crimes were called misdemeanors...
that "Pep Talk" from All was not included on the compilation. Jenny Eliscu of Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
called Somery "the only Descendents record to qualify as must-have. It's got virtually all of the winning songs, from the goofy hardcore tunes [...] to the more commercial-sounding rockers".
Track listing
Band
- Karl AlvarezKarl AlvarezKarl Matthew Alvarez is the bass guitar player for both the Descendents and All, the band that resulted after the Descendents disbanded again in 1987....
– bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
on tracks from All - Milo AukermanMilo AukermanMilo Aukerman is an American singer, songwriter and research biochemist. Aukerman is perhaps most widely known for being the lead singer of the early Los Angeles area punk rock band the Descendents, a group widely considered to be pioneers of modern "pop punk"...
– vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... - Doug CarrionDoug CarrionFrom the moment Doug Carrions mom took him to the legendary Light House in Hermosa Beach, California to see Jazz for the first time at the age of 9, his passion became music. He taught himself to play guitar and began his career in music as a musician - playing in underground favorites such as...
– bass guitar on tracks from Enjoy! - Ray Cooper – guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
on tracks from I Don't Want to Grow Up and Enjoy! - Stephen Egerton – guitar on tracks from All, graphics
- Frank NavettaFrank NavettaFrank Navetta was a guitarist for the Southern California punk rock band Descendents. He was part of the band's original lineup and played with the band for six years. He formed the Descendents with Tony Lombardo and Bill Stevenson in 1979 and released the single "Ride the Wild"/"It's a Hectic...
– guitar on tracks from the Fat EP and Milo Goes to College - Tony LombardoTony LombardoTony Lombardo was the bassist with the pioneering punk rock band Descendents between 1978 and 1985. Lombardo was part of the original Descendents lineup with guitarist Frank Navetta and drummer Bill Stevenson.-Early years with Descendents:...
– bass guitar on tracks from the Fat EP, Milo Goes to College, and I Don't Want to Grow Up - Bill Stevenson – drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, cover art, producerRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
of tracks from I Don't Want to Grow Up, Enjoy!, and All
Production
- Richard Andrews – engineer of tracks from Enjoy! and All
- Ethan James – engineer of tracks from Enjoy!
- SpotSpot (producer)SPOT, , was the house producer and engineer for the influential independent punk record label SST Records. He recorded, mixed, produced or co-produced for most of SST's pivotal acts between 1979 and 1985...
– producer and engineer of tracks from the Fat EP and Milo Goes to College - David Tarling – producer and engineer of tracks from I Don't Want to Grow Up