Album Review: The Homeless Gospel Choir / Teenage Halloween Split (by Emma Prew)

If you’re a regular reader of CPRW then you probably know that we love a split release! Often it’s a chance to discover a new artist, alongside one you already know and love. In this case, I am aware of both bands involved in this split but I’d say I’m more familiar with Teenage Halloween than The Homeless Gospel Choir. This gave me the perfect opportunity to check out more of The Homeless Gospel Choir – and the new tracks from Teenage Halloween, of course! The split was released on 1st January on Don Giovanni Records and here’s what I thought of it…

Each band has two songs on the split which, as far as I’m aware, are new tracks for both bands. First up is The Homeless Gospel Choir. THGC are a raucous protest-punk band from Pittsburgh, PA, who have evolved from the solo project of Derek Zanetti to a five-piece band. Track number one, Harrisburg Shoes, wastes no time in getting started with a huge-sounding combination of warm guitar tones to welcome the listener to the split. My immediate impression of the track is that it sounds a lot less ‘folk punk’ than I was expecting but, as much as I do love my folk punk, that’s certainly not a bad thing. The guitars are wonderfully melodic and give the song a positive feeling – something I think we can all appreciate at the start of a new year – although THGS’s lyrics are notoriously not so optimistic. The second track from the band is called Pittsburgh Shoes (I’m not sure why there’s shoe theme) and it opens with the slightly bleak but relatable line of ‘It feels like it’s just you, sitting in your room, and everyday just feels the same, your friends quit calling you.’. The first verse starts slowly with the instruments taking a backseat to Derek’s pessimistic lyricism but things start to amp up as we head further into the song with plenty of distorted and fuzzy guitars soon injecting some energy into the song. The track has got that slightly raw quality to it that I’m familiar with from when I’ve previously listened to THGC. Towards the end there are also kazoos. Yes, you read that correctly. Kazoos! More kazoos in 2022, please!

Teenage Halloween take on the second half of the split. The band, who are a six-piece power-pop/indie punk band from Asbury Park, NJ, released their debut full-length in 2020 and it was on repeat an awful lot for me at the start of 2021 (it took me a few months to actually get around to listening to it – sorry!). The album featured ten passionately poppy and energetic tracks about mental health and queer struggles and the new tracks on this split continue in a similar vein but bring with them a breath of fresh air. Floating is up first and initially opens with the jangling of keys before immediately plunging us into an upbeat and catchy pop punk track. It’s a short and fairly fast-paced song that features a great exchanging of vocals between Luke and Tricia come the chorus. The layered vocals and harmonies is definitely one of my favourite things about Teenage Halloween’s music so it’s great to hear it again here. The last song on the split is called Burn. Tricia takes over on lead vocal duties here for what is probably the stand-out track of the whole EP – which is saying something because everything on this split is great. Much like the previous track, Burn is upbeat and energetic but it also feels kind of erratic, I think mostly due to the jazzy keyboard playing. Either way, I love it. The track also happens to be the perfect fist-in-the-air cathartic protest song. You only have to read the lyrics for the chorus – ‘I don’t want your empty promise, I don’t want your easy fix, I want to burn the city down, And rise from the ashes.’ – to get an idea of what makes this song so great. Alternatively, you could listen to it yourself!

Stream and download The Homeless Gospel Choir / Teenage Halloween on Bandcamp here. You can also pre-order the limited edition yellow vinyl there, which looks very nice (artwork by Maura Weaver, of THGC).

Like The Homeless Gospel Choir on Facebook here and like Teenage Halloween on Facebook here.

The Homeless Gospel Choir are touring the UK in the summer which I’m very much looking forward to. Hopefully I will be able to see Teenage Halloween live as well, somewhere down the line!

This review was written by Emma Prew.

Dan#2's Top Ten Albums of 2020

This year has been a bit of a slug fest for myself with lockdown taking a huge impact on concentration levels and motivation, which might explain my lack for creative output in terms of these reviews for CPRW but I couldn't leave 2020 without giving credit to a few of my favourite releases from this year. These records, at times, have provided inspiration to get up off my ass or the emotional support that I needed to keep myself together… So on that positive introduction let’s get into it!

10. Attention Economy by Launch Control

This was the best political punk rock release this year for me hands down. Launch Control continue to paint a perfect picture of our political discourse. The whole EP strikes a haunting tone, talking about the consumerist society which we have become who are quick to pick up narratives or a product without questioning why we’re being sold, who suffers as a result and the long term conditions it creates. It is suggested these things are not done by accident but by corporations and frankly evil political figures for their benefits. In each of the songs we go into detail into some of those created conditions or into ways we have been monetized. These themes crafted carefully with hand stitched detail is exactly why I love Lee's lyrics. The production also creates a fresh feeling punk rock record that almost feels like an electric dream which fits the haunting atmosphere. Each song is a tightly packed package with riffs and drum fills galore that never overstay their welcome. The most interesting song for me is "Marketing For Martyrs" which is the first longer song from the band and really demands attention with some of the best lyrics from this year. The only reason this EP is not higher on the list is I might be super bias towards them as they are my friends but more importantly their refusal to release a full length always feels to me like they hold back showing their full potential.

9. This Land Is Your Landfill by The Homeless Gospel Choir

In February I managed to see Derek Homeless Gospel Choir playing a tiny club in London after seeing him with Anti-Flag the previous night. I was blown away by the pure honesty in his set, it made everything special and on this night he played a few of the best songs I had ever heard. Those songs then ended up on this record. It's political, personal and the most honest thing you will hear this year. "Don't Compare" is the best reminder to be yourself and to stop measuring yourself against social media and "Young And In Love" might be the song that every young person needs to hear. I can't wait to support them coming over to the UK as a full band because this record really felt like a ray of happiness this year.

8. Dream Nails by Dream Nails

For the past 2 years every time dipped my toe into listening to a Dream Nails song, I thought ‘I need to really get my teeth into this band’ but never progressed further than a quick listen! But this year I'm glad to report I took the plunge and bought their self-titled record! I'm super stoked and shocked about how blown away I was by it! As a band they have defined an unique sound which is hard hitting without being overpowering with an abundance of amazing hooks, fun subject matters and hard hitting truth that you won't be able to stop listening to. "Text Me Back" and "Corporate Realness" being my personal favorites, I honestly can't wait to see these guys live and I will be looking to book them for show in Reading the first chance I get!

7. Dancing With The Curse by Get Dead

When "Pepperspray" dropped with its video I thought it was the perfect song released at the perfect time with everything happening in America but it also kept us in the dark to what this Get Dead record was going to sound like! So when it turned out to be a punk rock record with lighting fast rap vocals in a few songs I was sold. This might be some of the most interesting songwriting of this year, that you can really get your teeth into and keeps you guessing with lighter acoustic songs like "Glitch", slow swanky punk songs like "Disruption" or full rapid pace punk in "Fire Sale". With all of them sounding tight, this gives the band a really wide but solid sound that sets them apart from the other Fat Wreck bands.

6. The Ride by Bad Cop/Bad Cop

The three-part harmony machine that is Bad Cop/Bad Cop hit the ground running with their third LP The Ride which strikes a perfect balance between the sounds of the last two albums by being a punk rock as all hell while still retaining their unique style. It contains the best harmonies across the board this year, with some themes not normally covered in the genre. For example, songs like "Breast Less" talk about Stacy fighting breast cancer and maybe losing part of her identity after having to have part of her chest removed. While songs like "Pursuit Of Liberty" discuss the disgusting way refugees are treated now vs how they were treated in the past. Getting to see some of these songs live was the icing on the cake in February and just made me more hyped for when we finally got them. This record solidifies BC/BC as one of the biggest bands for me in punk rock.

5. Brave Faces Everyone by Spanish Love Songs

Do I really need to talk about why this is going to be on almost every pop punk fan’s top 10? This perfect follow up from Spanish Love Songs is a hard hitting real deep dive into mental and social issues that leave you feeling full despair with a little bit of hope. The stand out song for me being "Optimism (As a Radical Life Choice)" which talks about catastrophizing over everything going wrong in the world and it preventing you from functioning as a normal human being – just describing that gives me shivers. Super stoked that they lived up to the hype when I saw them live. This record is every bit as perfect as everyone is making out it out to be!

4. Death In Venice Beach by The Bombpops

This one kicks so much ass. It has been the soundtrack every time I put my foot down in my little Clio but it might as well be a super car with The Bombpops blasting through the speakers. Every track is a simple hard hitting punk rock song that is catchy, upbeat and rad as they come! My personal favorites have been "Blood Pact" and "13 Stories Down", the latter being one of the best songs this year – about addiction with a pop hook. I think this record deserves a lot more attention than it got and I can't wait to hear these songs live.

3. Placement by Watsky 

Another year, another Watsky record breaking up my all punk list by being the only rap album on it! When he announced that Complaint was one of three connected records I got immediately excited by the idea of this project. Placement delivers a fantastic follow up to its predecessor, adding further context to it and adding speculation to what's coming next to fill in the gaps. I think "Dreams And Boxes" might be the best core of a record that I have heard with its seamless sticking two songs together with a spoken work piece in the middle resulting in 8 minutes of pure perfection. The emotional cuts dealt by the lyrics have only grown on me as the year progressed, songs like "Savage" and "Black Hole Eyes" really connect with me now on a personal level that I can see bleeding into all my playlist from years to come. Those strong feeling are only toppled by the next two bands on this list.

2. Triceratops / Stegosaurus by Me Rex

When I grow up I want to be Me Rex. Their songs are perfect dissections of emotional issues and events that manage to touch my soul. Normally emotional slow indie pop punk isn't my thing but every single thing they write is nothing less than perfect, bringing me to tears of joy. I have bundled both of these EPs together as they are both equally deserving of attention, one being their first release as a full band with none of their energy or emotion being lost in the bigger sound. They are going to be one of the UK's best bands in the near future and I'm sad I didn't get to see them at MPF this year but I'm going to see them at the first opportunity, even if I have to drive a few hours for it. They are worth it, go and listen to them.

1. Show Me The Blueprints. by Days N Daze

I had only ever heard good things about Days N Daze but it took their record to be released on Fat Wreck for me to pick it up and, honest to god, it is perfect! Infectiously catchy, lighting fast, amazing lyrics, the whole thing fits around its theme and sounds like a complete package. Its song form depiction and framing of addiction, anxiety and depression is some of the best music I have heard. "Show Me The Blueprints." is so well written with its tempo changes and heavy sections. Most importantly this record feels real and authentic, I couldn't help but connect with it. So peace out, farewell to Days N Daze, thanks for the record, I'll catch ya down the line!

This top ten was written by Dan #2.