Ensign

For a band that hasn't released a disc of original music since 2001, putting out this collection of 19 cover songs was a pretty gutsy move. But they make it work. Drawing on their diverse influences that range from the obvious like old school New York hardcore (Sick of it All's "G.I. Joe Headstomp,” Killing Time's "Telltale") to the not so obvious Minneapolis explosion of the 1980s (Hüsker Dü's "In a Free Land,” the Replacements' "Kids Don't Follow"). Also shown the Ensign respect are Dag Nasty, Bad Brains, Discharge, the Dwarves and Descendents among others. A must for fans of the band but also a great history lesson/primer for new school punks looking to learn a little something about the genesis of the genre.