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THE VANDALS DISCOGRAPHY TIER LIST

My ranking scheme: FAV / GREAT / GOOD / DECENT / MEH - I replace the standard "S" tier with my own top level tier of Favorites. This way I can highlight albums that have a bit more personal meaning to me while still celebrating the albums that are deserving of a top level ranking. 

*Note: Every ranking exists within it's own isolated universe. Meaning the albums are only being compared to other albums from the same band. In this way, it would be unfair to compare one of my tier-lists for band A with a tier-list from band B. 

Check out our playlist of Vandals favorites on YouTube or Spotify

 


 

 

1. When In Rome Do As The Vandals (1984) -  MEH

Pro: Some decent songs with signature Vandals humor.

Con: Most of the musicians on this album are no longer in the band. 

Not necessarily a bad album but not the strongest when compared to the rest of the band's catalog.

Fav song: "Mohawk Town"




2. Fear of a Punk Planet (1990) - DECENT

Pro: First full length album with Dave Quackenbush on vocals and what would become the regular line-up for The Vandals. 

Some entertaining cover songs like "Summer Lovin'" and "Kokomo." 

"Pizza Tran" references Bolsa Avenue in Orange County, CA which is home to a Vietnamese community called Little Saigon.

Con: A handful of songs that I tend to skip.

Fav Songs:  "Join Us for Pong"

 

 

 3. Live Fast, Diarrhea (1995) - FAV

Pro: Straightforward punk / melodic hardcore energy. 

Vandals keep up their trend of choosing interesting songs to cover, such as "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" from the Disney film Mary Poppins

"For 24 hours "Happy Birthday To Me" is wishing me well, 364 days I'm in Hell. Oh well." 

"Get In Line" embeds itself in my brain whenever I visit a theme park.

Con: Between Green Day and The Vandals, I'll never understand punk music's fascination with toilet humor in album titles.

Fav Songs: "Let The Bad Times Roll" / "And Now We Dance" / "Power Mustache" / "Johnny Two-Bags"


 4. The Quickening (1996) - FAV

Pro: Similar to Live Fast, Diarrhea but a bit more experimental with guitar tones and styles. Album art reflects the science fiction & supernatural themes of the album.

My high school history teacher wanted to know what music us kids were listening to at the time, so he asked us to bring in any music of our choosing. He dedicate an entire class session to letting those of us who elected to bring in music play a song for the rest of the class. I played "(But Then) She Spoke." 

Another classmate brought in Slipknot's self-titled album and played "Surfacing." The entire class sat in stunned silence as he took the CD back to his desk. Then he told us that his mother beats the shit out of him almost daily after school before adding something along the lines of "fuck every single one of you." I turned around towards him and gave him the metal horn salute. His angry exterior cracked, and he smiled and nodded back at me. That was quite possibly the most punk/metal thing I ever witnessed in High School. 🤘😁

Con: "Canine Euthanasia" was tough to listen to for a couple years after I had to say goodbye to my own little buddy. It still brings a tear to the eye on occasion. He was a good boy. Yes he was. Especially when he chewed up my Dad's barbecue covers until we learned that he didn't like being left outside when we were gone. 😄

Fav Songs: "It's a Fact" / "Marry Me" / "I Believe"

 

5. Hitler Bad, Vandals Good (1998) - FAV

Pro: I could easily fill my playlist of Vandals songs with tracks from this album. Almost every single song is a favorite. 

The Vandals are full of Orange County, CA references in their songs and "Cafe 405" is a call-out to a spot that used to be in the food court at the Westminster Mall.

I always hated The Sound of Music because it was one of those boring old movies that my mom would tell me was important and that I should watch. I always thought it was lame but for some reason I really enjoy The Vandals' version of "So Long, Farewell." 

The Vandals also take on a Pennywise classic with "Come Out Fighting" using a shuffle beat that fits the song quite well. 

Feeling down? "OK" will help you get the day started off right.

Con: I almost got beat-up by two 20-something year old skinheads when I was a scrawny teenager at a punk festival. I had just bought a Hitler Bad, Vandals Good t-shirt at The Vandals booth and threw it on over whatever shirt I was already wearing. I guess they didn't like it and they confront me to let me know. Since that day, I learned that there is value to the unwritten rule that one should never wear a t-shirt of the band that is playing at the show you intend to see.

Fav Songs: "People That Are Going To Hell" / "My Girlfriend's Dead" / "If The Government Could Read My Mind"


6. Look What I Almost Stepped In (2000) - GOOD

Pro: "Flowers Are Pretty" is another humorous reality check in the same vain as "It's a Fact" from The Quickening. I wouldn't classify The Vandals as a pop-punk band but this is a borderline pop-punk album.

Con: Once again, we have another toilet humor themed pop-punk album title and cover... 😐

Fav Songs: "Behind The Music" / "Sorry, Mom and Dad" / "That's My Girl"


 

 

7. Internet Dating Superstuds (2002) - GOOD

Pro: "Little Weirdo" is a clever song about a strange kid who fantasizes about building a rocket ship to fly away with.

"Soccer Mom" is an ode to harsh adult dating realities.

Songs like "The Unseen Tears of the Albacore"and "Lord of Dance" make this album possibly some of the band's goofiest material.

Con: My first exposure to many of these songs was through the Vandals remix album released by Japanese DJ Shingo Asari in 2005.

Fav Songs:  "Appreciate My Honesty"



8. Hollywood Potato Chip (2004) - DECENT

Pro: A heavier album that returns to some of the band's melodic hardcore roots.

There is a fan made music video for "I Am Crushed" that tells a story of an action figure who learns that he is the villain and contemplates the lyrics of the song. A brilliant piece of audio-visual art and storytelling, especially the part where the dog eats the birthday cake.

How can you not love Warren's take on Freddy Mercury's "Don't Stop Me Now." 

"My Special Moment" is an anthem to your 15 minutes of fame. Shine on you crazy diamond!

Con: This is the last full length Vandals album to this date. Largely because the album title's mock-up got them involved in a lawsuit with The Daily Variety.

Fav Songs: "Be a Good Robot"

 

9. Peace Thru Vandalism EP (1982) - GREAT

Pro: Every song on this short EP is now considered a punk rock classic. Ok, maybe not "Pirate's Life" so much, but how can you not love a song about tripping balls at Disneyland?

I had a hockey coach in college who claims he was there when "The Legend Of Pat Brown" happened at the Cuckoo's Nest in Costa Mesa, CA.

Con: I missed out on an opportunity at a festival in the early 2000s to buy an "Anarchy Burger" t-shirt that was a mock-up of the In & Out logo. Don't wait until after the show to buy awesome festival t-shirts or else they might be sold out by the time you try.

Fav Songs: "Urban Struggle

 

10. The Vandals Play Really Bad Original Country Tunes (1999) - FAV

Pro: Going to let it slide that not every song is a Vandals original because they do a great rendition of "Complain" and a decent cover of "In America" by Charlie Daniels.

Tuba riffs in "Play That Country Tuba, Cowboy" are provided by drummer Josh Freese's father Stan, an accomplished tubist (is that a word?) who also contributed some toots on Hitler Bad, Vandals Good.

Con: Many of these songs are recycled from an early Vandals LP called Slippery When Ill.

Fav Songs: "Desert Woman" / "Elvis Decanter" / "Long Hair Queer"


11. Oi to the World (1996/2000) - GREAT

Pro: Original Christmas music. All of which are written in the Vandals' signature tongue-in-cheek sarcasm. A punk rock Christmas classic! "Oi To The World" was covered and briefly made "mainstream popular" in the 90s by No Doubt. But we'll just ignore that version.

A punk rock rendition of Tchaikovsky's "Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairies" continues the trend of awesome Vandals cover songs.

"C-H-R-I-S-T-M-A-S" comes but once a year and it makes this song f-ing stick... in my head.

I have no idea how "Christmas Time For My Penis" didn't make it on to the soundtrack for Bad Santa.

"Hang Myself From The Tree" is a somber reminder that not everyone has family or friends to spend time with. For some, the holidays can be an extra lonely time.

Con: The Vandals haven't done much touring in the last decade or so but you can usually count on their yearly Christmas show in Anaheim, California every December. Why is this listed as a con? Because I can't think of any downsides about this album. Normally this is where I would complain about Christmas albums only being good during one time of year, but this is an album that I can listen to in 90 degree summer heat and still enjoy. If that is wrong, I don't want to be right. 🤷

Fav Songs: All of them. Yes, even the one that bassist Joe Escalante sings. 😆

 

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