It seems to be that time of year again – the time when all the comedy punks release their brand, spanking new records on an unsuspecting audience. With Guttermouth having already released the atrocious ‘Gusto’ and The Vandals set to start up a new dating agency in September, it’s high time those wacky So-Cal punks in Nerf Herder provided us with a little entertainment. But have they finally managed to shake off that Buffy tag, or will they forever be forced to lie in Sarah Michelle Gellar’s shadow? (Actually, I think that sounds rather nice, get me a pillow!)
Well ‘American Cheese’ is exactly what we’ve already come to expect from this quirky Santa Barbara foursome. There’s nothing particularly special about it, but it’s still reasonably likeable material that will always raise a smile. Two years on from ‘How To Meet Girls’ the band have hardly changed at all, which will no doubt delight their fanbase. The first single ‘Welcome To My World’ is easily the best proof of this – a song which is frustratingly catchy yet bloody annoying at the same time. But isn’t that how Nerf Herder have always been? The songs get under your skin and not only give you a bit of a rush, but can also a nasty rash at the same time…
‘High Five Anxiety’ cuts out the crap and gets back to basics, a straight-up pop-punk anthem that we all know Parry and the boys can come up with. Nicely placed guitar solo too if you like that sort of thing. ‘New Wave Girl’ is instantly forgettable fare with the repetitive “I want a new wave girl” chant at the end which is particularly annoying. But then this is a record that takes the rough with the smooth. The infectious ‘Mr Spock’ is a sure-fire hit in waiting and ‘Jacket’ is another track which will have you reaching for the repeat button. Lyrically it’s extremely daft but what else have we come to expect?
The catchy ‘Rock City News’ is also impressive without setting the world on fire while ‘Cashmere’ is very funny but not that great a song. ‘Nervous Breakdown’ is another decent track, but doesn’t really do anything better than what is already on ‘American Cheese’. The fantastically named ‘Jenna Bush Army’ is certainly an album highlight, with the impressive “men of America, storm the election, when in doubt follow your erection” line perhaps the funniest. Not the only song on the record that you can take on two levels, it shows that Nerf Herder can play dumb, yet be totally serious at the same time.
So it’s a pity that ‘Defending the Faith’ goes back to the identikit So-Cal punk that Nerf Herder can be really guilty of at times. It’s a track that threatens to be good, but never actually delivers the goods. ‘Busted’ opens with a great, crunchy palm-muted guitar riff that sounds awesome, with the song itself melodic enough to stick in your head and have you humming along. And what better way to end than with a dose of that good old Nerf Herder humour with the hilarious ‘New Jersey Girl’. The track itself does wear thin after about a dozen listens, but it’s still fun even then. Not a great way to end, but there are plenty of worse ways let me tell you.
Two things that also let this album down is the terrible cover artwork, which simply overdoes the cheese aspect and the constant use of the moog, which in my opinion detracts from the quality of a couple of tracks. But yeah, ‘American Cheese’ is ok – just a bit hit and miss. If you love Nerf Herder then you’ll lap this up with aplomb, otherwise it’s a record that is best served up in small doses. There will be better records released this year that’s for sure, but you could do a lot worse. The words ‘Guttermouth‘ and ‘Gusto’ spring to mind for a start…
Paul