'Til It Kills

by Vincent JeffriesAfter leaving Lookout and signing up with punk juggernaut Fat Wreck Chords, Tilt released their sophomore full-length, 'Til It Kills, in 1995. Despite changes within both the band and the rapidly evolving pop-punk musical landscape, this follow-up to Play Cell is very similar to its predecessor. The material is melodic, up-tempo punk and vocalist Cinder Block is in her usual fine form, but aide from the fine opener, "Libel" -- a minor underground hit -- there is little evidence that the punk outfit experienced any songwriting growth during the two years after their debut. The tunes are often repetitive, slightly vague, and even a little pretentious at times. Throughout the late '90s, Tilt maintained their second-tier pop-punk status, offering up many more titles for Fat Wreck Chords; however, there is no individual characteristic that sets 'Til It Kills (or any of these records) apart from the rest. Many fans of the Bay Area punkers believe that this is a powerful effort from the group, but casual fans of this genre and new Tilt listeners aren't likely to notice anything special.