1994 is often cited as the year punk truly exploded into the mainstream consciousness, largely thanks to the monumental success of Green Day’s Dookie. This breakthrough paved the way for a wave of punk bands to achieve unprecedented levels of popularity. Among them was NOFX, who rode this wave with Punk In Drublic, released in the summer of ’94, arguably their most commercially successful and critically acclaimed album to date. Love them or hate them, Punk In Drublic remains a landmark album in punk history, still celebrated by fans and critics alike.
Given NOFX’s prolific nature, it wasn’t a long wait for their next offering. Heavy Petting Zoo (also known as Eating Lamb on vinyl) arrived in January 1996. Staying true to its provocative title, the album dives headfirst into juvenile humor, a characteristic that both elevates and occasionally detracts from the overall listening experience.
The album kicks off with “Hobophobic (Scared of Bums),” a track that exemplifies NOFX’s tongue-in-cheek sarcasm. The song’s appeal lies in its witty lyrics, breakneck speed, and sheer fun factor. However, listeners might immediately notice a distinct sonic quality that feels somewhat “off,” a point we’ll revisit later.
“Philthy Phil Philanthropist” quickly follows, showcasing NOFX’s familiar ska influences. Yet, it’s marred by Fat Mike’s overly emphasized and seemingly forced “BLEH!” which comes across as trying too hard to project a snotty punk attitude. While NOFX is known for rejecting trends, this particular element feels like pandering to a stereotypical image of punk rock.
Tracks like “Bleeding Heart Disease” and “What’s the Matter with Kids Today?” effectively deliver melodic punk rock, showcasing the band’s ability to craft catchy tunes. Conversely, “Freedom Like a Shopping Cart” and “Release the Hostages” attempt to tackle more “serious” themes but fall slightly short, ending up as somewhat less memorable tracks on the album.
“Hot Dog in a Hallway” stands out for its juvenile humor and remains enjoyable even today, perhaps solely for the memorable line, “It’s like feeding a Tic-Tac to a whale.” “Love Story” ventures into more uncharted territory for NOFX, and surprisingly, the initial part of the song works quite well, although the conventional punk breakdown that concludes it feels somewhat underwhelming.
“Whatever Didi Wants” is undeniably a high-energy, standout track on the album.
However, Fat Mike’s attempt to satirize Grateful Dead fans with “August 8th,” celebrating Jerry Garcia’s death (incorrectly dated, as Garcia actually passed on August 9th), misses the mark. It feels like another instance of NOFX trying too hard to be “punk” by resorting to simplistic mockery of Deadheads. Ironically, while mocking The Dead should be easy fodder for a punk band, NOFX somehow fumbles the execution.
The closing track, “Drop the World,” presents lyrics with considerable depth. However, the song itself, while not disappointing, doesn’t quite possess the impactful quality one expects from an album closer, lacking a certain punch to leave a lasting impression.
Having examined a significant portion of the songs, it’s important to address why Heavy Petting Zoo feels somewhat like an outlier in NOFX’s discography, without being entirely out of place.
One prevailing sentiment is that parts of the album sound rushed, possibly filled with filler tracks. This suggests NOFX might have felt pressured to capitalize on their post-Punk In Drublic momentum. Compared to the raw energy of its predecessor, some tracks on Heavy Petting Zoo sound phoned in, both figuratively and literally. For instance, “Liza” feels like a drag, with lyrics and musical cadence that don’t quite align, a rare occurrence in NOFX’s usually well-crafted songs.
The second significant issue is the album’s peculiar sound. The recording, production, or engineering choices resulted in a sound that aims for a wall-of-sound effect but ends up sounding distressingly flat and dry. While this is somewhat less noticeable during louder, more energetic sections, it becomes particularly apparent in quieter moments, highlighting the sonic shortcomings. While a raw sound can be acceptable, even desirable in punk, Heavy Petting Zoo sounds like it was recorded with a decent budget but failed to achieve a polished or even intentionally raw-but-good sound. It simply sounds sonically weak.
Twenty-five years later (a milestone indeed!), Heavy Petting Zoo emerges as a transitional album, a bridge between Punk In Drublic and, arguably their most consistent album from start to finish, So Long and Thanks for All the Shoes. Among their five studio albums released in the 1990s, this is the only one that doesn’t immediately resonate with full memorability. Revisiting it for this anniversary reflection, it’s easy to forget some tracks even exist, like “Freedom Like a Shopping Cart” and “The Black and White.” This isn’t necessarily damning, as many bands struggle to create an album filled with consistently great songs. NOFX, known for their prolific output at the time, certainly produced a lot of content. However, Heavy Petting Zoo gives the impression of being released prematurely, before it was fully developed and refined.
Written by Jeff “the white drew carey” Sorley
Founder and Head Editor of TGEFM
