This Is No Way to Make a Living compiles the best moments from each of the three albums
the Daycare Swindlers recorded for Vile Beat. Jumbled as it is, the collection wavers from dedicated Washington, D.C., hardcore through punk rock to the occasional
Operation Ivy-style ska-punk workout. But the band's performances stay strong throughout, with vocalist Noah Waggoner proving to be as adept at a hardcore yawp as he is at a yelping along with a ska upbeat. While the ska-ish numbers like "White Bread" and "Big Show" are fun, the D.C. sound really seems to be
the Swindlers' bread and butter. From the hardcore screed of "She Said" (from their 1999 debut) to the shifting dynamics and blood-boiling shrieks of "Petrify," the band's influences and dedication to its hometown scene's signature sound are apparent, and to be applauded. ~ Johnny Loftus