I got a hold of the veteran punksters’ New Maps of Hell album the other day, the deluxe edition no less. It’s a good record overall — especially “Honest Goodbye” — but I also liked the acoustic bonus tracks. “Sorrow” works very well, although the solo seems a bit dropped in out of nowhere, and the chorus of “Adam’s Atoms” feels quite haunting for some reason.

I don’t know why the band recorded or included the acoustic set, but can’t help wonder if it is connected to Greg Graffin’s solo album, Cold As The Clay. The obvious difference is that the Hell tracks are reworkings of Bad Religion numbers, whereas Clay is deeply rooted in the folk traditions of Wisconsin. It’s another album I really enjoy, perhaps because I don’t normally listen to that genre of music. Not too keen on the title track, though. It’s at its best when picking through a sombre number.