You know how Billie Joe Armstrong sings with kind of a British accent? Nuraghe hails from Barcelona (yes, the big one in Spain), but they sound just like NOFX. Clearly they like NOFX a lot as well, having covered "Whatever Didi Wants" on a single last year. I love NOFX, but they're an unusual band to pattern yourself after.

Nuraghe An Elephant Was Swinging on a Cobweb (Too Loud)

Other than the almost four decades of survival and an unremitting slew of great songs, I guess. Just, y'know, not resounding commercial success. And yes, one of the main reasons I'm reviewing this is that I'm gobsmacked, kinda like the time I reviewed a German (if I remember right) punk band that started life as a Refused cover band. Some things are just too weird to ignore.

To be fair, Nuraghe cops a feel from large number of other American skatepunk bands as well. The big divergence is in the lyrical topics (there's a song called "Between Pillars and Lintels", and no, they're not talking legumes). It's still oh-so-punk, just with the slightest of Spanish accents.

And when the warmth arrives and the time comes to play songs very loud in the car, an album like this is always nice to have handy. So sit back, relax and turn it up way past 11. Maybe with an S&M Airlines chaser, if you're so inclined. The days are brighter. Embrace fun.

Jon Worley