The BYO Split Series is definitely one of the better ideas in the underground punk scene, pairing two like-minded artists to perform each other's songs. Despite the differences in approach, NOFX handles the snotty ska punk of Rancid quite well. Tracks like "Olympia, WA" are not only covered faithfully, but there are nice little in jokes (like slurring the words รก la Rancid singer Tim Armstrong) that make this that little bit more entertaining. Especially good is their version of "Radio," which maintains its Caribbean flavor and nostalgic feel. Rancid does a better job of covering NOFX, flavoring their covers with the same classic punk feel that makes their own material so engaging. Their cover of "Bob" is ramshackle and messy, yet filled with an energy that only occurs in the best punk rock. What is also great about these split discs is that you have a direct comparison of the two artists, so their impersonations of one another resonate much louder. This is by no means essential, as this is all previously released material, but the sound of two bands that are genuinely friends covering each other's songs is a real treat for punk fans.
NOFX / Rancid
BYO Split Series, Vol. 3
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AllMusic Review by Bradley Torreano
Track Listing
| Sample | Title/Composer | Performer | Time | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1:50 | |||||
| 2 |
|
2:58 | ||||
| 3 | 1:24 | |||||
| 4 | 1:19 | |||||
| 5 | 3:09 | |||||
| 6 | 2:51 | |||||
| 7 | 1:54 | |||||
| 8 | 1:49 | |||||
| 9 | 2:01 | |||||
| 10 | 2:45 | |||||
| 11 | 2:06 | |||||
| 12 | 2:28 |
