While going through the reviews, I noticed that one of my favorite pop-punk records of all time was missing. I decided that the situation must be rectified. I first heard this band from Calgary, Alberta waaay back in the '90s, and I've kept up with them ever since. They've been around for 20 years (crap, I got old) and haven't messed with their formula much during that time–and for good reason. This album was released in 1996 and was their only album on Sub Pop, having moved to Fat Wreck shortly thereafter.
The album starts off with a minute-long instrumental called "Dolphins Love Kids". It pretty much shows off their musical "chops" to perfection. No harmonized guitar or crazy solos or breakdowns with these guys–straight-up, three-chord pop-punk all the way through the album. The lyrics are clever and, at times, downright laugh-out-loud funny. Like "Shadowy Bangers from a Shadowy Duplex", which, as you'd probably guess, is about a bunch of stoner metalheads.
"Well I love when you drive me to the liquor store
You call the man that works there mister proprietor
Sometimes I wonder how you get to learn those words
You got a dictionary in the back of your Firebird"
The album clocks in at a couple of minutes under half an hour. It's got a good, quick pace, with a couple of slower tunes thrown in to break things up, like "Hemp Hemp Hooray" and "Song for R" , as well as their biggest "hit", "Like Your Mom".
The standout track, and one of my all-time favorite songs, is the album closer "(I Feel Like)(Gerry) Cheevers (Stitch Marks on My Heart)". It's a love song, as many of their songs are, but uses the NHL goalie's facemask as a metaphor for his heart. It doesn't get much more Canadian then that. "Angriest Young Men (We're The)" is an excellent two-minute ripper of a tune about how ridiculous it can be to be young and, well, angry at everything.
I'm a fan of everything these guys have recorded, right up to this year's Safeways Here We Come EP. This album for me represents everything I used to (and still do) love about pop-punk. Five stars all the way.