Stranger Than Fiction

You always know what to expect with a Bad Religion album, though they have mixed things up on their last few albums. ‘Stranger Than Fiction’ is a significant return to form, after the moderately-disappointing ‘Recipe For Hate.’ Fast, catchy and hooky and the clear production doesn’t dilute the band’s power. ‘Television’ features a charming, ratty guest vocal from Rancid’s Lint. ‘Stranger Than Fiction’, ‘21st Century Digital Boy’, ‘Inner Logic’ and the Buzzcocks-sounding ‘The Handshake’ slow the tempo down to enhance the stinging, melodic flow. Even if they’ve signed with a major (and destroyed their ‘punk cred’ with some folks), there’s no artistic or lyrical compromise. And no Eddie Vedder this time, either!