2005 Warped Tour Compilation CD

Performers include: The Offspring, Flogging Molly, Dropkick Murphy's, Zao, Bleeding Through, Silverstein, Relient K, VCR, Hawthorne Heights, Atreyu, Plain White T's, Tsunami Bomb, A Thorn For Every Heart, No Use For A Name, Armor For Sleep, Gogol Bordello, Millencolin, Bedouin Soundclash, Gatsby's American Dream, Underoath, Silverstein, Hot Water Music, Halifax, Strung Out and more.
A sampler of what the Warped Tour has to offer in its 11th year, 2005 Warped Tour Compilation is an enormous offering. Boasting 50 tracks -- be they rarities or album excerpts -- the disc houses punk's biggest bands like Dropkick Murphys and the Offspring, although somewhat curiously it omits one of the trek's biggest draws (My Chemical Romance). Still, aside from Pennywise's steamrolling anthem "Yell Out," the bulk of the comp's best numbers come from lesser-knowns. The ferocity of Go Betty Go comes in loud and clear on "Saturday," while Street Dogs' punk barker "You Alone" is equally tough. On the flip side, melodic tracks by Fall Out Boy -- who also provide a keeper called "Saturday" -- and Rufio ("Out of Control") are highlights of the emo-based material. Stretching the genre's confines, the reggae-tinged grooves of Bedouin Soundclash (who offer "Gyasi Went Home") are a welcome variation, while Gym Class Heroes' rap-inspired name-check of punk and alt-rock favorites is downright exhilarating. With something for everyone and at a dirt-cheap price of eight bucks or less, 2005 Warped Tour Compilation is well worth grabbing. ~ John D. Luerssen
This two-CD set documenting performances at the 2005 Warped Tour, is the third in a series (the first covered '03 and '04). The tour showcases indie bands, nearly all of whom fall into the neo-punk, pop-punk, emo, or post-hardcore categories. Labeled "Stage One" and "Stage Two," the collection gives a satisfying overview of the tour's numerous, variegated acts, a great souvenir for those who caught the show, and a fine substitute for those who missed it.
There are plenty of big names, including Irish-American punks Dropkick Murphys, catchy skate-punks Pennywise, Chicago emo outfit Fall Out Boy, and old-school CA pop-punks the Offspring (whose creepily evil "Beheaded" provides a welcome bit of nastiness among the surplus of heartrending emo). Yet most of the set is dedicated to showcasing young bands--Amber Pacific, Bleed the Dream, and Tsunami Bomb, among them--who are up-and-coming. The material isn't all top notch, but at one song per band (spread across fifty tracks), WARPED TOUR 2005 COMPILATION is an excellent sampler of what's happening in the world of independent rock. The startlingly low price--which matches the Warped Tour's indie credo--makes this a particularly good buy.