For one to say that MxPx did not play a part in the revolution of 2nd wave punk (pop/punk) is to say that the Beastie Boys were not the predecent to rapcore. Before bands like Good Charlotte and Blink 182 became popular, there was MxPx's 1994 breakthrough record Pokinatcha. Before Tom became the permanent guitarist, a guy named Randy jammed with Mike and Yuri on a blistering 21 tracks of pure punk craziness. These guys were more open with their faith on this record with lyrics such as "when I am weak He becomes strong" on "Weak" and "there's something inside those jars of clay" on "Jars of Clay." Their ode to teenage love also included a spiritual morsel on "Want Ad" with the lyrics "I'm lookin for a girl who writes me songs, and talks to Jesus all day long."

However, don't be too quick to point out that MxPx were overtly preachy punksters until their days with A&M Records; these guys also knew how to have fun with their music, which is evident in songs like "PxPx," "Another Song About TV," "Time Brings Change," and the humorous "Bad Hair Day." Other songs on the album that bring about spiritual truths without pushing the listener over the edge are "Anywhere But Here," "One Way Window," "Jay Jay's Song, and "Think Twice."

When reviewing an album such as Pokinatcha, it's difficult to go into a lot of detail when most of the lyrics pretty much speak for themselves. Nevertheless, MxPx puts pure adrenaline into each song presented on this album as well as executing each track amazingly well. Though the band has not been as open about their Christian faith in recent years, MxPx never hesitates to share how Christ has touched their lives whenever a fan approaches them in regards to why they live so humbly in even the darkest of days. With that being said, Pokinatcha is a definite milestone in the birth of punk/pop and remains a classic in the world of punk music for many years.

- Review date: 2/19/04, written by Paul Portell