Yes, Lookout! Records is, depending upon who is spouting utter nonsense on Elon Musk’s egocentric platform, the famous or infamous NorCal record label that launched huge/reverential rock and roll acts like Operation Ivy, Green Day, The Donnas, Screeching Weasel, and more, and no, NONE of those bands, characters, and events, even those based on real people, would be considered underrated by anyone… Be forewarned, the following words about Lookout! contain coarse language! The label is also known for essentially kickstarting acts without the famous campaign to larger labels, wherein they achieved much more fanfare, but Lookout! will always be your older brother and the scene’s gateway drug. We attempted to rank the top ten most underrated Lookout! Records albums in alphabetical order below, and before you yell at us, we do NOT list any EPs here from your favorites, so keep on walking, and most importantly, welcome to paradise.
American Steel “Jagged Thoughts” (2001)
If you want your brain to contemplate life without an ironic little pill that keeps you head over feet, then you need to listen to Oakland, California’s American Steel’s third LP “Jagged Thoughts” stat! “Jagged Thoughts” is truly an interesting/diverse listen over the course of its twelve tracks, which run the gamut in terms of song length, with two songs being under two minutes long, and four over four minutes and forty seconds, an extremely unusual thing for a band to do in this lane; everyone knows that you NEVER go full epic. If you like The Clash more than the boom of ‘90s punk rock, check out what American Steel did just after the turn of the century with this particular full-length studio album. If you don’t, you’re a poser, but you already know that. Still, we have no clue what the hell you’re doing here.
Ann Beretta “To All Our Fallen Heroes” (1999)
Critically acclaimed by your favorite defunct zine, but it sadly isn’t showcased in sales or streams, Richmond, Virginia’s Ann Beretta showed the world that the city shouldn’t just be known for hush puppies or racism. The band has been a group of swingers in the fact that they’ve been on many different labels large and small like Fueled by Ramen and Union 2112 Records, but Lookout! Records snagged ‘em for this one, “To All Our Fallen Heroes,” and it is easily our favorite from the band AND it is without question one of the more underrated LR releases. Also, “To All Our Fallen Heroes” was produced by punk rock svengali Bill Stevenson of Descendents, ALL, and Black Flag, and it sounds HUGE. So change the present with the past and listen to “To All Our Fallen Heroes,” or the album cover will shoot you.
Common Rider “Last Wave Rockers” (1999)
1999 was a good year for underrated Lookout! Records, uh, records, with the above release from Ann Beretta coming out that year, and Common Rider’s debut full-length studio album “Last Wave Records” hitting cool stores like Hicksville, Long Island’s Utopia in ‘99 as well. Want some more street cred for your jacket with a multitude of patches? Well we certainly have that for you! Not only does Jesse Michaels from Operation Ivy front and play guitar for the act, but Mass Giorgini of the yet to be mentioned Squirtgun and producer for blockbuster bands Screeching Weasel, Rise Against, and Alkaline Trio is also a part of the power trio. “Last Wave Rockers” is the band’s best work, but it didn’t come close to the heights of Op Ivy. The band eventually released one more EP via Lookout! Records, signed to Hopeless Records, and finished their career there.
The Dollyrots “Eat My Heart Out” (2004)
Sarasota, Florida’s The Dollyrots’ debut full-length studio album and lone Lookout! Records release “Eat My Heart Out” is the most recent LR record listed here, and its sugary blend of pop punk deserves your time as it is too catchy to dismiss. Since the underrated “Eat My Heart Out” came out, the band put out a plethora of albums on Joan Jett’s Blackheart Records and their own label Arrested Youth Records. It’s also a rad stat that the band’s two official members Kelly Ogden and Luis Cabezas are a married couple, and they still manage to keep their stuff together and not hate each other like the members of Fleetwood Mac. Fun fact: If you want to hear a Kelly Ogden side project with Jaret Reddick, the singer of Bowling for Soup, you can do so now with Jaret and Kelly’s 2019 LP “Sittin’ in a Tree”… Here we go!
The Lookouts “One Planet One People” (1987)
Add a pre-Green Day Tré Cool to Lookout! Records label owner Larry Livermore and you have the namesake band for the label, Iron Peak, California’s The Lookouts!; nepotism certainly works quite well when it is combined with Green Day’s version of Animal beating the hell out of the drum kit in the literal boonies. Speaking of Mr. Cool, his rhythm section counterpart Kain Hanschke was also too young to drive and buy cigarettes when this LP came out, but not too old to be jaded by the elitist punk scene. The lo-fi production sounds energetic in the best way, and The Lookouts have the noteworthy stat of being the first act to release music via the label, and because of such, the band’s debut “One Planet One People” consists of a lot of ones/firsts. In closing, the band covers songs from Bob Dylan and The Rolling Stones here too!
Neurosis “The Word as Law” (1990)
Wikipedia categorizes Oakland, California’s extremely credible act Neurosis as a post-metal group, whatever the hell that means, but we here can definitely confirm that they are sick as hell. Want some proof? Ok. SO many of your favorite bands large and small namecheck the act as a sonic influence seemingly minutely, and the fact that their sales and streams don’t showcase such is a travesty amongst men, women, and children, and likely the biggest one listed here; sorry not sorry. Double edged sword? To what end? Anyway, the band’s second full-length studio album, “The Word as Law,” is our favorite of the bunch, but it must be said on record that subsequent follow ups for Dead Kennedys’ Jello Biafra’s Alternative Tentacles, Relapse Records, and the band’s own label Neurot Recordings slap quite hard too.
Pretty Girls Make Graves “Good Health” (2002)
First of all, if you had a chance to catch Seattle, Washington’s Pretty Girls Make Graves on the Alkaline Trio “Good Mourning” tour also featuring the underrated Pitch Black in 2003, you’re one of the lucky ones, and most certainly not in good health right now because you’re old and likely have back problems. If not, we forgive you, but our tommy gun don’t. Over the course of the band’s initial six year run, the extremely enigmatic act Pretty Girls Make Graves, named after a Jack Kerouac reference in a song by The Smiths despite Morrissey being insufferable by definition, released three full-length studio records, their debut “Good Health” via Lookout! Records, and their two follow-ups on hipper than hip Matador Records before calling it a day. Jaguars may love PFMG, and bloody brothers even moreso, but the indie rock world embraced other Matador acts like Interpol much more.
Small Brown Bike “The River Bed” (2003)
Let’s start with something sad before we highlight this awesome band: Small Brown Bike’s guitarist Travis Dopp sadly lost his battle with cancer last year. This tragic ending put a sad stain on their reunion ten years prior, and he will be missed. Back to the underration portion of this piece: Depending upon who you are talking to, Marshall, Michigan’s Small Brown Bike is the best or worst band name ever, but there is no counter argument to the posit that “The River Bed” demands your attention, and WAY more streams. In an act that differs from many in this piece, another label (No Idea Records) launched SBB into the universe, and Lookout! Records put out the band’s last full length studio album prior to their hiatus one year later. A lesson to remember, rather a declaration of sorts: Lookout! Records likes to keep you large tricycles guessing and pontificating!
Squirtgun “Self-Titled” (1995)
Mass Giorgini is the gold medal winner here with his Lafayette, Indiana act Squirtgun gaining credence here and for being a part of the aforementioned Common Rider. The band’s self-titled debut full-length studio album should have elevated them to the heights of so many other Epitaph Records and melodic punk rock acts but alas, the world did not shoot its shot. Still, track six here, “Social,” was used in the opening credits for the also underrated Kevin Smith film “Mallrats;” R.I.P. Shannen Doherty. The band released their sophomore/accurately titled LP “Another Sunny Afternoon” via Lookout! Records before moving on to Honest Don’s Records, a subsidiary of Fat Wreck Chords. The band also eventually featured Dan Panic, who literally/figuratively played in every single Lookout! Records band. Every. One. Chicago may be so two years ago, but the Midwest is the Mid-Best; Squirtgun has “aw shucks” down!
Tilt “Play Cell” (1993)
East Bay, California’s Tilt, like the aforementioned American Steel, eventually signed with Fat Mike of NOFX’s Fat Wreck Chords, but prior to doing so, released their debut record “Play Cell” via Lookout! Records… and it’s dope. The act certainly added some necessary gruff female vocals to a scene extremely oversaturated by dudes, and we’re happy to end this piece with more of a bang than a whimper. Still, the band didn’t reach the heights of peers The Muffs, L7, Bikini Kill, and The Breeders, and rarely gets namechecked when referencing female rock, let alone punk acts, that achieved some sort of prominence in the ‘90s. Happily, vocalist Cinder Block got sober, and founded a licensing/merchandising store called Cinder Block, Inc., which eventually made its way to printing shirts for Warped Tour in 1997. The company eventually merged with BandMerch, and you likely own an item from them!