Album Review: Zoanoids by Zoanoids (by Marcus Pond)

Is there a better way to start the first week of 2021 than by finding a new band releasing their debut album? After 2020, it’s hard to ask for anything more, and I was fortunate to make Zoanoids my first CPRW review of the year.

Honestly, I almost skipped over their record while perusing Bandcamp because… I don’t know, the black and white zombie-looking face outline with oozing font didn’t seem like it’d be quite my thing. But, I pressed play, and then pressed play again, and then kept listening until I decided I had to own it on vinyl.

A four-piece out of Kalamazoo, Michigan, Zoanoids are a self-described “horror and sci-fi Ramonescore band” that put out a demo in 2019 and released a few singles in 2020 leading up to their eponymous debut on Hey Pizza! Records. As a person that hates horror movies (of all the emotions to feel, why would you want to feel horror?) and is pretty indifferent to most Ramonescore bands, they still have a lot to offer (and if you do like those things, you’ll likely dig this).

The LP begins with “Teenage Werewolf”, a jam that they also released a music video for back in October. I’ll have to wait to see if the vinyl comes with a lyrics sheet, but even though I don’t know all the words to it yet, I had the line “I don’t wanna be a teenage werewolf” stuck in my head the rest of the day after hearing it. I admit I can get a little judgy about opening tracks, but this is a great start to the record.

Two of my favorite songs on the first side had some unfamiliar names, so I had to look to the Internet for some answers. I’m not totally sure that I’ve gotten these correctly, but from what I can tell, Ahriman (“Arms of Ahriman”) is the evil, destructive spirit in Zoroastrianism, an ancient pre-Islamic religion of ancient Persia. Biollante (“Biollante’s Revenge”) is a giant monster (or kaiju) from the 1989 film Godzilla vs. Biollante. The plot seems weird and makes me want to see it. Both of these tunes have a cryptic, ominous vibe to them that I really dig, and showcase not just stellar songwriting, but the vocalist’s ability to actually sing while maintaining a voice that fits great in the genre.

“Time of Judgement” is also a banger, “Dos Fuertes” is a frenetic instrumental, and “Michigan” is a not-so-complimentary ode to their home state. Zoanoids are also able to mix it up, with “Overlord” on the second side as a breezy, almost ballad that changes the tempo a bit, before plummeting back into chaos on “Directive: Solbrain”.

Overall, it’s 13 tracks in 27 minutes, with only two tunes passing the two and a half minute mark, and it’s a record that I found myself listening to front to back, and then front to back again. Sometimes I felt like the friend in the group who is kind of chuckling along at all the references the group is making without actually knowing what they all mean, but it’s a party and I’m sure I’ll figure them out later.

RIYL: Ramonescore, Teenage Bottlerocket, Dark Thoughts, The Lillingtons, The Dumbheads, Radio Buzzkills, Houseghost, zombie apocalypses

Stream and download Zoanoids on Bandcamp here.

Like Zoanoids on Facebook here.

This review was written by Marcus Pond.

Album Review: Who Killed The Easter Bunny? by Muppethead

Muppethead are a new band from Cleveland, Ohio, who recently appeared on our Band Of The Week feature. They are fast paced pop punk band who refer to their sound as Ohio Dumbcore. Clearly, Muppethead are a band that don’t take themselves too seriously and like to have fun. With how hard 2020 has been for far too many reasons to list here, when I stumbled upon their new EP Who Killed The Easter Bunny? I knew this would be a must listen. I love silly punk rock music. 

The first track on Who Killed The Easter Bunny? is Hot-N-Ready ($5 Pizza). There’s a good chance that this will be your first time listening to Muppethead and it really lays down a good marker of what you can expect from the band – super fast and catchy pop punk. It’s about being drunk and getting cheap and rubbish pizza. Despite it not being a serious or moving song, there will be plenty of people who will relate to it. The second song has a real feel of The Ramones about it. Titled Now I Wanna Be Alone, it begins with a 1-2-3-4 and then we proceed to some super nasally vocals. The track features some great basslines that give the song a more melodic feel and show that, even though Muppethead aren’t the most serious of bands, they can play their instruments. The song is about being so sick of people that you want to run away to outer space or even go as far as killing them. We’ve all been there at some point, I’m sure. Up next is Hey Man, Nice Set! This is a thirty second hardcore song which I assume is a bit tongue-in-cheek and not just really mean. It’s about when you see a band, telling them you thought they played a nice set and then turning it around and saying they actually sucked.

The fourth track is John’s Got Hemorrhoids. On this song we are treated to a more traditional sounding pop punk song. The drums are played at a rapid pace, ensuring the song is packed with energy. I’m impressed with how well the band’s lead singer manages to keep pace with the song as he barely pauses for breath throughout the song’s duration. Obviously, the song is about somebody named John who has managed to get haemorrhoids and the struggles that comes with that. The penultimate song is A Square In A Circle Pit. The song starts with quite a long audio clip featuring a lady who does not like a band because of their lyrical content before it launches into another hardcore track about going to a show but not liking the music. I enjoyed the clever change of the well known phrase square peg in a round hole to a square in a circle pit. Cracking word play. The final song is the EP’s title track Who Killed The Easter Bunny? This song was used as promo for the EP and it’s obvious to see why. It’s the most conventional sounding song and it’s incredibly catchy. It’s jam packed with this infectious energy that will leave you humming the song to yourself long after you finish listening to it.

This is an EP not to be taken seriously. It is an EP to have a great time listening to and have a great big smile and laugh to. There seems to have been a lot of arguments this year about whether or not politics should be involved in punk or even music in general. It 100% should be involved but you also really need bands like Muppethead who are just out to have some fun, enjoy themselves and hopefully make you enjoy yourself as well.

Stream and download Who Killed The Easter Bunny? on Bandcamp here.

Like Muppethead on Facebook here.

This review was written by Colin Clark.

Album Review: For Those About To Pop! by The Yum Yums

Europe has long had a endless amount of fantastic Ramonescore pop punk acts. One I’ve been a fan of for years is Norway’s The Yum Yums who produce some of the most sugary sweet pop punk around. Earlier this year the long running band released their first album in seven years with the release of For Those About To Pop! When I realised it had been released, I couldn’t wait to listen but it has taken me far too long to get round to reviewing it. Here is that review.

The album begins with its title track, For Those About To Pop! If you’re new to The Yum Yums then this is a great introduction. It’s a song dedicated to the fans of Ramonescore pop punk that has a fantastic summer vibe. The vocals are of a higher pitch, similar to Intruder Blue from Masked Intruder, and are at times joined by some great harmonies. The second track is titled Baby Baby and starts with some crunching guitars before we move towards a higher tempo track. As you might expect from this style of music, it’s a real ear worm and you’ll be helping out with the backing in harmonies in no time at all. Unsurprisingly, a lot of songs on the album are about falling in love and relationships. It can get a bit samey but it’s kind of what you would expect from The Yum Yums. Bubblegum Baby continues the theme. The song has a throwback style with a hint of 60s pop rock and some harmonies that The Beach Boys might be proud of.

The fourth song is titled Lie To Me. The track is about telling white lies to make a person feel better about themselves and giving them an ego boost. I liked the originality of this song as I’ve never heard a band sing about this subject before but I’m sure it’s something a lot of people listening to it will relate to. Sometimes it is nice to be told little fibs that make you feel good. Up next is She’s Got Everything and it was one of the stand out songs on my first listen of For Those About To Pop! This is another hugely relatable song for anyone who’s ever been unlucky in life as it’s about meeting that special someone who, in your eyes, is perfect but not being able to be in a relationship with them. It’s one of the saddest song on the album but also one of the best. Let’s Go Crazy begins with the traditional “1-2-3-4” before launching into the song. Another more up tempo track, here The Yum Yums sing about letting go of your inhibitions and having some fun. This is a hugely fun and enjoyable song that’s great for letting off some steam and putting a big smile on your face. Can I Come Over sees the band jump back into the rock ‘n’ roll realm. It sounds like there’s also some cowbell which is interesting. The track is about feeling like an outsider and wanting to get into the party, again a really relatable song for anyone who’s felt like they’re on the outside looking in.

The second half of For Those About Top Pop sees the band break out a keyboard for the first time. Crush On You shows off a slightly different sound for The Yum Yums. The song is super simple in format but the keys do a magnificent job in giving the song a fresh feel. Crush On You is about simply that, having a crush on somebody and letting the person know. Summertime Pop is about spending your summer holidays listening to your favourite music and having a wonderful time. It feels like there is a bit of irony in the song. It plays like the sort of song you’d listen to on a summer road trip for some time away but it’s about staying home. It’s a faster song that stands out amongst some of the other songs on the album. The tempo is increased further on Say You’ll Be Mine and we’re really in Ramones territory here. There is a brilliant mix of three chord pop punk and Beach Boys here with some frankly incredibly harmonies and 60s rock ’n’ roll. Imagine The Queers but with less of a snarl. This was another favourite of mine on the album; I loved the energy that The Yum Yums have on this track. The eleventh song, Let’s Worry About Tomorrow, has a more serious and darker tone to anything we’ve heard previously. It’s about trying to live in the moment and not worrying about the future. This more serious sound came as a surprise and gave the band a different dimension after ten fun and breezy pop songs.

First Move sees the band revert back to their fun pop punk sound. I can fully see this song appearing on a romantic comedy flick at some point. It’s so infectious and catchy and I can really imagine the montage with the hot young stars of today being awkward around each other and trying to make the first move with each other. I like when songs create imagery. The penultimate song is titled The Kind Of Girl. This is classic Yum Yums. It’s about having the girl you think is perfect for you and living with the thought that someday she will find someone better and break your heart. It seems as if the band are saving their sadder tracks for the end of the album. It is a sad song but also another that’s probably so relatable for a lot of people, I’m sure we’ve all had moments of self doubt in relationships at some point in our lives. The fourteenth and final song is Can’t Get Enough Of Your Lovin’. Finishing the album on a happier note, this track is about being infatuated with your loved one. There’s a classic rock feel to the song that ensures you’ll be tapping your toes and bopping your head along to the track. The song has a fun big finale that guarantees the track and the album ends with a bang. I loved the placement of the song on the album. The entire album is super infectious and as soon as I finished listening to it I had to put it on again.

For Those About To Pop! is one of the best pop records I’ve heard in years. It’s not something for the hardcore punk rockers but if you love fun, (for the most part) happy songs that make you smile, get stuck in your head and have you doing your best boogie, then this is an album I really recommend you check out.

Stream and download For Those About To Pop! on Bandcamp here.

Like The Yum Yums on Facebook here.

This review was written by Colin Clark.

Album Review: More Than Drugs by On My Arms

On My Arms are a four piece band from Venice, Italy. The band formed in 2011 and are heavily influenced by bands such as The Ramones and The Queers, as well as more modern day acts such as Teenage Bottlerocket. I first became aware of the band due to their excellent Life At Thirty EP which was released in 2018. In May, On My Arms released a new five track EP titled More Than Drugs that I was very keen to check out.

More Than Drugs starts with Make It Up To You. As you have probably worked out from the song’s title, it’s about making things right with your loved one. Looking at the band’s influences you might expect a more fast paced track but On My Arms start out with a more melody driven song packed with catchy hooks and wonderful harmonies. The repetitive nature of the song makes it instantly accessible to anyone hearing the band for the first time. It’s like meeting an old friend. Up next is Never Alone. On this second song the band pick up the tempo and give the EP a boost of energy. Track one welcomes you in and track two fills you with the energy you’d expect from a Ramonescore band. Never Alone is about feeling lonely but knowing that whenever you go to a gig, particularly in the punk scene, you’ll have a friend. It’s a special feeling to be in that environment and it’s one I’m sure everyone reading this is missing.

The third song is the EP’s title track More Than Drugs. This is a song about realising that you need to make yourself better because there are great things in life that you want to experience. On My Arms revert back to their mid-tempo sound for this song. This helps to really show off the emotion in the track and particularly in Ganz’s voice. The penultimate song is named Up & Down. On my first listen of the song I was attracted by the bouncy rhythm but when you listen to the lyrics you discover the song has a darker context. On My Arms sing about coming to the end of a relationship and the difficult conversation that you need to have because of this. This is another superbly catchy track, even if the subject matter is sad. Last up is Going Home With You. On My Arms finish More Than Drugs with what’s perhaps my favourite song of theirs. From the outset it’s an uptempo sing-along that’s full to the brim with this infectious energy. The way in which Ganz delivers the vocals is fantastic, punchy on the verse and then loads of melody in the chorus.

More Than Drugs is another solid addition to On My Arms’ growing discography. The European punk scene has so many fantastic bands who play homage to The Ramones and On My Arms are one of the best.

Stream and download More Than Drugs on Bandcamp here.

Like On My Arms on Facebook here.

This review was written by Colin Clark.

Album Review: In Your Face! by Radio Blast

Radio Blast are a four piece Ramonescore pop punk band who formed in 2018 in New York. Influenced by the likes of The Huntingtons, Young Rochelles, Isotopes, Dan Vapid, Jagger Holly and Dee Cracks, the band have had a productive two years. Firstly releasing their debut EP Let’s Rock in May 2019 and then releasing their second EP In Your Face! in August 2020, along with a handful of singles squeezed in between. Today I’m reviewing that new EP In Your Face! which was released by Mom’s Cellar Dwellers.

The EP begins with the title track In Your Face. This opening song is a great introduction of what to expect from Radio Blast – fast buzzing guitars, pounding drums and wonderfully snotty vocals. In true Ramonescore fashion, it’s brilliantly simple with a blunt and to the point style that allows the song to get stuck in your head. There’s also a great cameo from Rev. Norb of Boris The Sprinkler doing a voiceover that I thought was fantastic. The second song is named She’s A Cannibal. It’s a super serious and deep song about getting invited over to a girl’s house and realising too late that she’s quite partial to eating people. This is a powerful song that I found deeply moving. It also put a massive smile on my face and I quickly found myself singing along and having a little dance on my chair whilst listening and reviewing.

Radio Blast released the third song Boy With The Six Pack as a single in the build up of the release of In Your Face! The song is actually quite a sad song about being young and feeling the pressure of everyone’s high expectations, in this case being the high school quarterback and everyone counting on you to win the big game. These expectations eventually lead to the quarterback becoming depressed, staying in his basement and not wanting to come out. The final track is titled Teddy. This is another song that references sport, this time ice hockey. I must admit that 99% of my knowledge of ice hockey comes from watching The Mighty Ducks (best trilogy ever) so I’m not sure I get all the references but that didn’t stop me really enjoying the song. Radio Blast have a great skill in writing simple pop punk tunes that are incredibly infectious. I love it.

In Your Face! is a great showcase of a new band playing homage to a much loved genre of music. I feel like Ramonescore is becoming a more and more niche genre (particularly in the UK) so it’s always fantastic to discover new bands still keeping the genre alive.

Stream and download In Your Face! on Bandcamp here.

Like Radio Blast on Facebook here.

This review was written by Colin Clark.

Album Review: Split by 7 Years Bad Luck & Dorkatron

I’ve been on a bit of a roll for reviewing splits lately. After two ska punk reviews, here is one for some Austrian pop punk. I’ve been a fan of 7 Years Bad Luck for a number of years and have been lucky enough to see them live a couple of times in the last year or so. Dorkatron are a newer band who I fell in love with immediately after hearing their The Extra Mile EP in 2018. 7 Years Bad Luck and Dorkatron recently teamed up for a twelve song split which was released by Monster Zero Records.

Dorkatron kick of their half of the split with the song Robotic Love. Robotic Love is a weird love story between a human and a robot. If you’re new to Dorkatron then this is a great introduction. The band plays fast and catchy Ramonescore pop punk, very often with a nerdy sci-fi theme. Up next is Custodians. Inspired by a solo from a Fidlar song, the track is about feeling uneasy about custodians. Fast, catchy and fun with witty lyrics, Dorkatron have a style and they absolutely excel at it. I really like the guitar riff in the song, it gives the track a great energy. Shop Class Baby is a story about falling in love with a girl in your shop class. Another theme of Dorkatron’s is high school and often falling in love with different girls. I’m glad to see they haven’t stepped away from this theme on the split. It’s a relatable topic for fans of pop punk.

Hall Monitor sees Dorkatron actually slow things down a little. It’s a pop punk ballad dedicated to the people who care about safe and respectful behaviour at school. It’s great to hear the band slow things down and show a different side of their songwriting. The chorus is the standout moment and features some great chant-along harmonies that will get the listener invested straight away. My Girl is a thirty second song where Dorkatron proclaim that a girl is theirs. It’s short and sweet, really repetitive and a whole lot of fun. The final Dorkatron track is titled Pills. Starting in explosive fashion, Pills actually sees a more mid-tempo and melodic side of Dorkatron. It also feels more serious as the band sing about becoming reliant on medication to help you stay awake to study, because you don’t have enough time, and then regretting taking it. It’s quite a sombre finish to Dorkatron’s side of the split.

7 Years Bad Luck begin their half of the split with Comatose. The three piece play a more melodic style of punk rock than their counterparts in Dorkatron but that doesn’t mean it’s any less catchy. This half of the split already feels a lot more dramatic and emotional thanks to the builds spread throughout the song as well as some great gang vocals. Up next is Out. Starting out with a crunching introduction before some fantastic fast paced vocals, this song has a slight feel of the 90s skate punk sound to it. The song is a more political one about wanting to question decisions and realising that, no matter how hard you fight, it will always feel like an uphill battle. You, The Ocean And Me shows the poppy side of 7 Years Bad Luck and also has a bit of 60s rock ’n’ roll sprinkled in. It’s the sort of song that instantly cheers you up and has you bopping along in your seat. This is a sweet, summery love song about needing your loved one around and missing them when they’re not there.

Better Joke is a song dedicated to that friend who likes to play the joker but often takes it too far. This song has the more traditional 7 Years Bad Luck sound, melodic pop punk that brilliantly pulls you in. There’s a seriousness about the track and also a sadness in the vocals that plays with your heartstrings somewhat. The penultimate song on the split is titled Milk Teeth. Jumping back into the skate punk style, there is a driving tempo that gives the song plenty of urgency. It has you yearning to know where the song is heading. I think this is mainly due to the drumming. The beat really stands out on this track. There’s an understated style to the vocals. They feel a little quiet and this makes you really listen hard, as well making you anticipate something louder coming in. The split is finished with Movie Star. This feels like a final song. By that I mean that there’s a sense that 7 Years Bad Luck put everything they have into the song. It sounds bigger, it’s full of hooks, it has shifts in tempo and it’ll have you singing along happily from start to finish. There’s also some subtle “whoa-oh” harmonies to get involved with.

This is a fantastic split by two of Europe’s best pop punk bands. As you would expect from a Monster Zero release, it’s quality from start to finish and, if you’re not familiar with either of these bands, it’s a great place to start before checking out their previous work.

Stream and download the split on Bandcamp here.

Like 7 Years Bad Luck on Facebook here and like Dorkatron here.

This review was written by Colin Clark.

Album Review: Saving The Genre, And You Know It… Split by Jagger Holly & The Windowsill

If I had a pound for every time I spoke of my love of splits then I would probably have an even bigger collection of vinyl and band t-shirts. Splits are such a great way to discover new bands. In December, Ramonescore bands Jagger Holly and The Windowsill released Saving The Genre, And You Know It... on Shield Recordings. Featuring four songs from each band, it promised to be a lot of fun.

The first half of the split features Jagger Holly. Featuring members of Johnie 3, Dee Cracks and On My Arms, Jagger Holly play melodic and catchy pop punk. This is something you would expect from a band who have previously released music on Monster Zero and Out Loud Records. Their first song on the split is titled Nobody Wants You. This is pop punk at its finest – no thrills, catchy, melodic and fun. Jagger Holly will have you singing along in no time with this song about wanting somebody more than anyone else does. Out Of Luck continues down the same musical path but picks up some more delightful harmonies along the way. Something I really enjoy about the sound of the track is how much it reminds me of one of my favourite bands ever – The McRackins. A lot of bands have combined pop punk and summer beach vibes over the years and Jagger Holly do a smashing job of it here.

Better Off (Without You) is a slightly slower almost ballad-like song. It's about trying to convince yourself that you're doing well by yourself after a break-up. The song has a slow build throughout that leads wonderfully to the final chorus which quickly takes up residence in your head and will have you singing along extra passionately. What I love about the song is the simplicity of it all. I feels like a conversation with the band’s singer being backed subtlety by the band and it works brilliantly. The final Jagger Holly track is named All The Boys. This song actually has a bit of an intro that allows you to get excited for what the song is about to go into. All The Boys is perhaps my favourite of the four Jagger Holly tracks on the split. It bridges the gap between pop punk and melodic gruff punk wonderfully. It's got a great fist-in-the-air chorus with some great harmonies and gang vocals. The song is about competing with other people for someone’s affections

The first song from The Windowsill is titled Cigarettes Kill. The Dutch punk rockers play a much more traditional Ramonescore style. Which isn't surprising given that three members of The Windowsill used to play in The Apers and the fourth is a member of Accelerators. The Windowsill certainly have some pedigree. I say Ramonescore and I assume you know what to expect – buzzing guitars, a pounding drumbeat and an urgent sounding vocal with plenty of harmonies. It's a simple formula and The Windowsill do it really well. Cigarettes Kill has a great amount of energy around it and will have you bopping along in no time at all. Don't Worry Baby is another great example of simple brilliance. There's a no thrills feel that makes the track really accessible but there's enough about the way in which everything is delivered to keep the song feeling fresh. This is very impressive songwriting. Don't Worry Baby is about being there for the person you care about when they're going through the tough times.

Lead Back To You has the best harmonies of the entire record on them. They happen in the last act of the song and has me itching to see it live. This is a break-up song, as lead singer Marien Nicotine looks back over a past relationship about how and why things fell apart. There's a sadness about the song that you don't often feel in this style of music and, do you know what, I like it. The harmonies at the song’s ending make it feel as if this should be the last song but there's still one to go – Last September. Wow, I loved how Last September starts. It's surprising and a bit startling but will welcome everyone into the song brilliantly. It's a punchy yet somehow melodic opening that will get you singing along from the outset. The chorus continues in that fashion but picks the pace up somewhat, adding some fantastic urgency to this final song.

This is a fantastic split by two brilliant pop punk bands. I was very impressed with both band’s sides of the split and both have me wanting to check out more from Jagger Holly and The Windowsill. I guess this was the idea of the split and it was quite the success.

Stream and download Saving The Genre, And You Know It… here.

Like Jagger Holly here and like The Windowsill here.

This review was written by Colin Clark.

Album Review: Must Be Nice by Dark Thoughts (by Marcus Pond)

The first time my wife made enchiladas for dinner, I was hooked. It seemed so basic – chicken, tortillas, a less than healthy amount of cheese, and a few other simple, choice ingredients, but the outcome was so good, I could hardly believe it. Once in a while, she’d try something new to improve it, but it was never necessary – they were already pretty much perfect.

Dark Thoughts are like the musical equivalent of a delicious plate of my wife’s enchiladas. Are they fancy? No. Could the songs be played by most people who learned what a power chord was? In all likelihood, yes. Should everybody love them? Most definitely.

First off, they’d certainly fit the bill for a “Ramones-core” band, but even if you’re not a huge fan of the genre, they’re still immensely appealing. They’re tight, but not overly produced, so there’s still a loose enough sound to keep them from being too cookie-cutter. Where some groups feel like they’re trying too hard to emulate Joey & Co., they have a swagger that’s all their own. All they need to do is roll out of bed and throw on a leather jacket and they’re ready to destroy eardrums, no need to fuss with their hair.

Must Be Nice (Stupid Bag Records) is their third record in four years, and doesn’t really deviate too far from the formula that worked pretty well for them on their self-titled debut and 2018’s At Work (whose album cover featured a subtle nod to The Ramones 1977 LP Leave Home). While the songwriting has taken a few steps forward on their most recent effort, the untrained ear wouldn’t hear too much that’s sonically different between any of their previous albums. With 12 songs stretched tightly across a 19 minute running time, you don’t usually have to wait too long to get to the next banger.

The standout of side A is “Do You Dream”, the third track. In an alternate universe, I can imagine someone sweetly strumming an acoustic guitar, asking their crush “Do you dream / Of me / Like I dream of you?” In the much more kickass universe we find ourselves in, however, we find lead singer and guitarist Jim Shomo crooning and shouting over some pounding drums at 200+ beats per minute. Definitely a solid choice for their lead single, which was released in October as a 7” with a b-side of “It’s Too Late” (which doesn’t make an appearance on the full length).

“Silhouettes” is my favorite track on the record, which showcases perfectly the strengths of the group. It’s a lean minute and a half with just a pair of short verses and a bridge to the outro, which starts off defiantly as Shomo yells “Don’t you treat me like you used to”. By the midway point and after a pair of start/stop down strokes, he’s cheekily reversed course, now gleefully declaring that “I’ve been waiting for someone like you / To take my hand and tell me what to do-ooo”. The “I would give you my heart and soul / If you would touch me with a ten foot pole” are laughably relatable (uh, at least for me).

The darkest that Dark Thoughts get is “Terrible Things”, which touches on mental illness, but is quickly followed up by “Scan The Radio”, which takes the foot off the gas and is as close to a sappy love song as they get. By the time the refrain “It’s so easy / To be lonely / It’s so hard / To be loved” on the album closer “Must Be Nice” rings out, I found myself wanting to pump my fist in the air and hug the person closest to me. Or just start the record over again. The enchiladas aren’t ready yet, anyways.

RIYL: The Ramones, Riverdales, The Radio Buzzkills, The Smarthearts, enchiladas

Stream and download Must Be Nice here.

This review was written by Marcus Pond.