Ok, wait a sec, pardner -- stop reading. Go back and look at the CD cover once more. Check out that kid again. See those grisly black eyes, that bridge-of-the-nose wound, that baffled, gaping mouth? Those are the physical manifestations of punk rock. The real question to ask yourself is are those battle scars in the name of punk rockdom, or merely justified retribution for some bothersome, moronic pre-teen whose parents ought to rethink his daily proving grounds? Punk rockers will quickly realize that this disc samples some of the best tunes from the rugged Epitaph Records roster. Punk-O-Rama 4 does a superb job chronicling all that's snotty, all that's smart and all that makes the adrenaline run in today's punks, both young and old. With favorites from such notables as The Dwarves, Rancid, Pulley and Zeke as well as the work of newcomers like Gentleman Jack Grisham and 59 Times the Pain, there's non-stop guitar-rock action throughout these 25 tracks. Tom Waits' twisted offering is certainly unique, as is the husky trailer-trash rock of Gas Huffer, rounding out the full-bodied, highly competent list of bands that has propelled Epitaph to the front of the music community -- not only as a supplier of exalted entertainment, but as an educator of 90's music.