I like pop punk. There, I said it. And no, I’m not talking about fucking Mest or Sugarcult. I’m talking The Descendents, The Ramones, even stretching to One Car Pile-Up or Vanilla Pod. Who needs more than the chords G, C and D? Who needs complex vocal harmonies? What is wrong with some downright huge sing-a-long choruses and a breathless pace that wouldn’t stop for an OAP crossing a country lane? According to Derby’s Poundstretchers, nothing whatsoever.
Simplicity is most certainly the order of the day here. Songs about girls, crappy day-to-day life and having no job characterise this album, hardly stretching beyond pub tales in the storytelling stakes. And depending on your point of view, that’s either the best or the worst thing about the ‘stretchers. As much as I detest songs about townies, the horribly named ‘Townie Scumbag’ has an irresistibly perky melody that is more than ably matched by the opening salvo of ‘Stop Thinking About Her’. It’s all very enjoyable if a touch throwaway but then again, when you’re in the mood for it, there’s nothing better than a good piss-up and some punk rock, which this most certainly is.
‘Somebody Save The Music’ is just what Green Day sounded like when they were on Lookout, and that scratchy punk melody that first reared its head over 27 years ago is pretty much this album in a nutshell. Big harmonies and anthemic songs aplently, ‘The 4th Ever Poundstretchers Album’ could be just what you fancy, or pure anathema. It’s not going to win any new converts to the pop punk cause, but should appeal to those that are already firmly in the gang.
Ben
www.stretcherrecords.co.uk