Once upon a time, somewhere in the swamps of Jersey, there existed a punk band that changed it all. I am speaking, of course, of Lifetime. Active first from 1990 to 1997, and then again beginning in 2005, Lifetime’s influence on what we call the “scene” today is impossible to understate. This album, as well as Hello Bastards, the one that preceded it, were influential to a variety of artists whose names you might recognize. Adam Lazzara of Taking Back Sunday has some of the band’s lyrics tattooed on his arm. Brand New lists Lifetime as “recommended listening” on their album Deja Entendu. The Gaslight Anthem references this album in their song “We Came to Dance.” Bands such as Rise Against, Silverstein and Fall Out Boy have recorded covers of their songs. The members of Thursday played some of their first shows with Lifetime, in Geoff Rickly’s basement. And then finally there is Saves the Day, whose debut album Can’t Slow Down comes as close as is humanly possible to imitating Lifetime’s sound without actual plagiarism.