Dillinger Four

Dillinger Four: More Songs About Girlfriends And Bubblegum [EP]More Songs About Girlfriends And Bubblegum [EP] (1997)
Mutant Pop

Reviewer Rating: 5

User Rating:

Contributed by: FreewaterfallJrFreewaterfallJr
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Published on December 20th 2012Ah Dillinger Four, perhaps the best current punk group around today. Every single record or EP they have ever put out is flawless, which is why I was surprised that More Songs About Girlfriends and Bubblegum hasn't been reviewed yet. I often think about which D4 release is my favorite; as of late it.

Ah Dillinger Four, perhaps the best current punk group around today. Every single record or EP they have ever put out is flawless, which is why I was surprised that More Songs About Girlfriends and Bubblegum hasn't been reviewed yet. I often think about which D4 release is my favorite; as of late it's a toss up between Midwestern Songs Of the Americas, their split with Pinhead Gunpowder and More Songs About Girlfriends and Bubblegum. That's the problem; they are all perfect releases but I feel like More Songs About Girlfriends and Bubblegum is the best and a little on the underrated side. It features two songs from both Paddy and Erik which are four of the best songs D4 has done.

"Fuck You, Ms. Rochelle" kicks the EP off with a strange sound byte which is a staple for most D4 records. After that, Paddy's simple but fantastic bassline comes in with reckless abandon and the rest the band soon join. Paddy then sings some of his best lyrics in a storyteller style, telling a real and compelling story about social stereotypes. After "Ms. Rochelle," the best songon the record kicks in in "An American Banned." With its dynamic opening, catchy chorus and interesting key change at the end of the song, it shows D4's songwriting talents are nothing short of amazing. The lyrics on "An American Banned" are also some the best sociopolitical lyrics I've ever heard.

Then the record shifts gears to Erik, whose songs obviously differ from Paddy's. "Thanks For Nothing" is first of his songs and it kicks you in the stomach (metaphorically, of course) and lets you know you're in for a hell of a ride. It features some of Erik's best vocals, and is in a tie with "An American Banned" for catchiest chorus on the record. The song never lets up and features a great mini bass solo from Paddy which leads into the closer "Twin Cities Sinners, United." The song starts a little bit softer than "Thanks For Nothing" before vaulting into gloriously dirty pop-punk territory. The song's lyrics criticize religion and revel in the fact that they are giving the finger to God and his followers and it is a great closer to a great EP.

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Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not respon sible for them in any way. Seriously.

FreewaterfallJr (January 5, 2013)

Yeah this the first review i've ever done so I probably deserve all the shit i'm getting haha. Thanks for even checking it out I just wanted to see this EP get a review.

eggainst (January 4, 2013)

"Extflagger: Nobody said "American Banned" is their "best song", I said it's one of my favorites by them. I don't know if your naturally this big of a shithead or if your just fucking with us on purpose"

He's A Shithead. Yeah, Yeah.

Had to.

kylewagoner (January 4, 2013)

Versus God 100%.

imsoawesome (January 4, 2013)

Oh, well now I feel bad for saying anything.

exitflagger (January 4, 2013)

I will not relax! Reading this site has put me on the edge!

imsoawesome (January 4, 2013)

Exotflagger: Nobody said "American Banned" is their "best song", I said it's one of my favorites by them. I don't know if your naturally this big of a shithead or if your just fucking with us on purpose. Relax bud.

BarleyPat (January 4, 2013)

Damn you guys are harsh considering none of your lazy asses took the time to review it any time in the last 15 years.
Steve - I have NO idea how I slept on this, but it's going to keep me up nights!

exitflagger (January 4, 2013)

It reads like renaldo before he got pretentious.

hairysteve (January 4, 2013)

Christ, this reads like an eighth grade book report

exitflagger (January 4, 2013)

There`s no way "An American Banned" is one of their best songs. The meandering instrumental part at the beginning goes on for way too long (58 seconds before the na-na-nas, which is the catchiest part) in proportion to the rest of the song. Had they cut the instrumental bit in half to make the song 2:11 rather than 2:41, it would have been drastically improved. These things matter when determining the compositional worth of a song. Why do you think I champion Guided by Voices so much? They are masters of song structure. The way it is now, "An American Banned" is a two-minute song with 30 seconds of pointless filler.

No Use for a Name also struggled with the instrumental/vocal balance on their first album, Incognito. Songs that were only two-and-a-half minutes long would open up with 60-second instrumentals. Example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHLuzKrhfeI

ExtraCheesePizza (January 4, 2013)

Good 7", but Erik's voice makes me cringe. I never listen to his songs.

imsoawesome (January 4, 2013)

Versus God is a solid album. I would say Civil War is their least best, but it's better than a lot of shit that came out that year.

wahhey (January 4, 2013)

This review made me go back and listen to this ep again, which I haven't done in years. I couldn't disagree more with the first commenter saying it's their 'least essential material,' as that honor would go to either Versus God or Civil War, which are still both excellent records. This little nugget is just a piece of perfect, takes me back to a simpler time.

eazyd2 (January 4, 2013)

this review is fucking embarrassing

renaldo69 (January 4, 2013)

Solid

MN_DrNick (January 3, 2013)

Oops, Forgot the rate it. Perfect score!

MN_DrNick (January 3, 2013)

This was one of the very first purchases I made for my vinyl collection quite a while ago. One of the greatest punk EPs ever made.

Also, fuck off exitflagger.

bastard_squad (January 3, 2013)

Exitflagger, I don't understand your mental processes. Everything about this 7" is better than the entirety of their last 2 LPs.

bastard_squad (January 3, 2013)

Twin Cities Sinners is one of my favorite D4 songs.

Pat, how did you sit on this one for so long?

BarleyPat (January 3, 2013)

Somehow I didn't even know this existed, nor have I even seen it in all my trips shopping for music. Need it! Someday I will thank you.

imsoawesome (January 3, 2013)

I love this EP so much. "An American Banned" is probably one of my favourite D4 songs.

exitflagger (January 3, 2013)

A good EP, but it contains their least-essential material.