Hailing from West Phoenix, Numbers On Napkins was a band on the rise in 2013, when members announced that they were going on indefinate hiatus to focus on parenthood and family life. Five years later, the band informed their fans that they were recording a new record and ending the hiatus. The band completed the recording and eventually released their new album, “From Buckeye To Beardsley”, on the Arizona based record label, Bad Stain Records.

From Buckeye To Beardsley is the third ful length release from the band, and features newly recorded material, live recordings, and four out of the six tracks from NON’s limited edition and now out of print, “QuickerDrunkenLouderHarder” EP. NON even brought back former guitarist, Matt Martini, for the recording process. Martini left NON in late 2010 for creative differences, and to focus more on his other project, Reason Unknown. Since 2010, Martini and Reason Unknown have done very well, performing at various venues acros the Southwest, opening for an onslaught of popular nationally touring punk rock bands, ranging from Face to Face and The Bombpops, to The Queers and Authority Zero! “It was important for us to have Matt be a substantial part of the recording process”, said Chase Stain, bassist and primary lead vocalist for the band. “Matt was there when we developed those songs, and he added his own unique style to all of the songs. We didn’t want him as a guest musician on the album, because he wasn’t just a guest musician. So he agreed to re-join the band for the studio recording and mixing process. We are very happy that he chose to take part in the album, and in a way it just wraps things up very well. Like, now Matt has had a proper goodbye.”

NON released what can only be described as a Triumphant Return with their new CD, “From Buckeye To Beardsley”. The album features a total of twenty tracks, with a plethora of subject matter, ranging from songs about love, and love lost, to songs about drinking, touring, molesting children, and getting your penis bit off by an angry girlfriend. NON does a fine job shocking the listener in one song, while pulling on heart strings in the next. The one thing that I particularly enjoyed about the album were the five live tracks, which is really saying something because I tend to dislike the live recordings on the majority of albums I hear. NON’s live recordings on the album are perfectly balanced, allowing the listener to hear every instrument, as well as clear and wel executed vocals. Plus, you get this feel of a Numbers On Napkins concert, just one giant wild party with lots of drinking and having fun. The CD also includes a live recording of NON performing the song, “Like a Rat”, written and originally performed by Schleprock. NON performs the song perfectly, but with Stain’s gruff and raspy shout style vocals.

NON also included live versions of “Another Song MRR Won’t Like” and “Knockin’ on my Door”, the only two tracks not included on the album that had been released on the “QuickerDrunkenLouderHarder” EP. NON included the other four tracks from the EP on the album, and all four songs are incredible in their own ways. “The Poor Misfortune of a Dimwitted Lemming” has hopeless and lost sounding lyrics, and the dynamic between both Chase Stain and Moe Money performing the alternating lead vocals blends and clashes so well. “Precious Cargo” is a love song with a “Jawbreaker” feel to it, and poetic lyrics. “My Girlfriend Bit My Dick Off” is hilariously funny, and “The Last Song” is unique and very unlike the majority of NON‘s other music, with a different style of singing than what we usually hear from Chase Stain.

What I was most excited about and wanted to hear the most were the new songs on the album. NON successfully delivered ten awesome new tracks, including their first single, “Summer Daze”, and their popular acoustic track, “Burpin’ Our Way to New Mexico”, as well as a new punk rock version of their popular acoustic Traditional Irish tune, “Ode to the Drink” (featuring guest vocals by Cris MoSkill of ATM), and their comedic cover version of the Sir-Mix-A-Lot number one hit, “Baby Got Back”! “From Buckeye To Beardsley” is a strong and confident release, and shows the local independent music scene that Numbers On Napkins is every bit as good as they were 15 years ago, and have only improved with age.