Millencolin: The Melancholy Connection

Millencolin
The Melancholy Connection
Epitaph Records [2012]









 Fire Note Says: Second album of b-sides should please fans which also includes 2 solid new tracks and an interesting DVD.

Album Review:
The Melancholy Connection is the new b-side compilation from one of the best pop punk bands out of Sweden named Millencolin. This collection of 14 tracks is a companion to the The Melancholy Collection [1999] which covered their earlier material as The Connection collects tracks back to the days of 2000's Pennybridge Pioneers.

The collection shows once again why Millencolin were always a favorite in this genre as the songs here really do have a perfect balance like "Bull By The Horns" is a much more hardcore punk track while a song such as "Phony Tony" has a nice groove while the catchy title is instantly memorable. The real treat here for fans will be the two new tracks "Carry You" and "Out From Nowhere" that kick this record off and show everyone Millencolin has not lost one bit of punk energy.

The Melancholy Connection does not have anything that will send new fans Millencolin's way but does a nice job of filling in the gaps for devoted fans and completists. The set also includes a DVD which features a documentary that looks inside the making of Pennybridge with classic archival footage of the band and Bad Religion/Epitaph founder Brett Gurewitz in the studio. If you were a fan of Millencolin this record is entertaining and works especially well with the new tracks as it puts an exclamation point on the bands 20th anniversary. Now the wait is on for a new record!

Key Tracks: "Carry You", "Out From Nowhere", "Mind The Mice"

Bands With Similar Fire:
Bad Religion
The Descendents
Blink 182

Millencolin: Machine 15 [Fire Note Review 4/24/08]
Nikola Sarcevic: Rock Roll And Free [Fire Note Review 12/21/06]

Millencolin Website
Millencolin Facebook
Epitaph Records

-Reviewed by Christopher Anthony