Social Distortion carved out a sound as raw and restless as the Southern California streets they came from, fusing the sneer of punk with the swagger of rockabilly into a sound that sounds like the flick of switchblade in some biker bar in Nowhereville, USA. When lead singer (and primary songwriter) Mike Ness howls through a haze of distortion you can feel the stories underneath the songs in a way that is utterly sincere. That type of honesty is a rare gift to have in songwriting. It’s working-class blues filtered through tattooed knuckles and a life filled with mishaps and redemption. While other punk bands pushed the boundaries of what the genre could be, Social Distortion found joy in turning back the clock. They dug up the ghosts of Johnny Cash and Hank Williams, injected them with distortion, and shaped their music into something that stood the test of time. These are songs of survival accompanied by a weathered leather jacket and a story to tell. It’s cowpunk at it’s finest.
Standout Songs: “Let It Be”, “Story of My Life”, “Sick Boys”, “Ring of Fire”, “Drug Train”
