Various Artists: Fat Music Vol. 7: Harder, Fatter & Louder

Fat Wreck Chords is one of the most recognizable brands in music. Whether or not you know the label itself, you’re bound to recognize its fundamental sound, which is a distillation of every bratty punk archetype under the sun. Fat Music vol. 7: Harder, Fatter & Louder flaunts the label’s deceptive range with tracks from punks all over the spectrum, such as folk-punks Old Man Markley, ska-punks Mad Caddies, Irish-punks the Real McKenzies and, of course, pop-punk veterans and label patriarchs NOFX. The collection is a convincing portrait of a label that’s kept its roster of acts dynamic without sacrificing its core principles. It’s also the first installation in the series in almost a decade, a welcome event for fans looking to get caught up with the label’s myriad punk-themed projects. Of course, whatever your particular punk niche, most of these tracks are made of the same slipshod elements as typical nth-wave punk: obtuse, pounding rhythms, conventionally rebellious lyrics and a tempo just fast enough to conceal the lack of musical complexity.