In a complete change of tone, mood, and spirit from One's lengthy and rather melancholy tunes, All Roads Leads to Ausfahrt, finds Nomeansno in what might be their most chipper mood ever.

For well over 25 years, Victoria, B.C.'s Nomeansno has by and large gone unnoticed in the United States. While the band has a large following in Europe and in their home country, for some reason or another they've never really touched a nerve with the punk-rock community down here. However, what Nomeansno lacks in pure numbers, they've made up with a fan base that can only be described rabidly obsessed, following the band wherever they tour.

While Nomeansno has resided in the punk-rock racks from its onset, to describe Nomeansno as simply punk does not do this band justice. True, they are clearly influenced by the Ramones, but the outfit has also been tagged from thrash-jazz to prog-punk. However, the bottom line about Nomeansno is that they're utterly original and have stayed that way through their evolution.

On their first full-length since 2000's One, Nomeansno has made what might be their most accessible record since 1989's Wrong and easily their best record in over 15 years. In a complete change of tone, mood, and spirit from One's lengthy and rather melancholy tunes, All Roads Leads to Ausfahrt, finds Nomeansno in what might be their most chipper mood ever. While the opener "Wake Up" is a tad too abrasive and tedious-which is usually the case when bassist/vocalist Rob Wright goes into hyper-angry mode-the record settles into a groove with the impassioned "In Her Eyes" and the magnificent stomper "Mr. In Between."

One aspect that makes this disc differ from anything that NMN has released is its relative simplicity. In the past, they majority of their songs have been lengthy endeavors. However, All Roads...sports plenty of low attention span rockers in "So Low," "Slugs Are Burning," the cheerfully misleading "Mondo Nihilissimo 2000," and "Ashes." However, All Roads wouldn't be a complete Nomeansno album with out a couple of drawn-out cuts. While "I See a Mansion in the Sky," takes far too long escaping tedium, "Heaven Is the Dust Beneath My Shoes" is an incredible song.

While One would have come with a caveat for new listeners to first investigate the back catalog, All Roads Lead to Ausfahrt requires no such qualifier. All interested ears need go no further than right here.

RIYL: Dead Kennedys, Victims Family

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