How to Clean Everything introduced Propagandhi as one of the sharpest and most self-aware voices in the early wave of skate punk. The band was signed to Fat Mike’s record label Fat Wreck Chords after playing a show with NOFX in the early 90’s. As dutiful readers know, that record label would soon define the sound of 90s skate punk (and have a massive influence on my musical sensibilities). Propagandhi played a unique role in that early skate punk scene, blending both the sarcastic snotty tone of skate punk while also borrowing some elements of thrash metal that made them a bit heavier than a lot of their peers.
I’ve listened to a lot of music over the last three years and I can honestly say How to Clean Everything kind of feels ahead of its time. If you would have had me listen to this album without knowing the year I definitely would have picked something like 1998. That element of “newness” has certainly given Propagandhi a lot of staying power in the scene. And the band also has the distinct honor of being the former home of John Samson, who played bass and sang on this album before forming The Weakerthans.
Standout Songs: “Anti-Manifesto”, “Middle Finger Response”, “Showdown (G.E./P.”
