Screeching Weasel

Screeching Weasel: Teen Punks in HeatTeen Punks in Heat (2000)
Lookout Records

Reviewer Rating: 3

User Rating:

Contributed by: fatheadMark Williams
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Published on July 9th 2001I've been a fan of Screeching Weasel since the first time I heard Guest List in my local record store. There was a time when they were my favorite band, and the only cd's in my cd player were 'My Brain Hurts' Anthem for a New Tommorrow' and 'Wiggle'. I have since been exposed to many different typ.

I've been a fan of Screeching Weasel since the first time I heard Guest List in my local record store. There was a time when they were my favorite band, and the only cd's in my cd player were 'My Brain Hurts' Anthem for a New Tommorrow' and 'Wiggle'. I have since been exposed to many different types of music, punk or not, and Weasel has slipped from the top spot of my 'favorite bands' list (replaced by Jawbreaker,Lifetime,and Strung Out). However, I have managed to scrape up enough cash to buy every one of Weasel's releases (even a couple 7 inch's) and have rarely been let down. 'Teen Punks in Heat' was one of those let downs.

'Emo', the unpolished, first take record released before 'TPIH' was a little dissapointing at first, but after getting used to the sound, I learned to like it for the rawness and the lyrics. "Teen Punks in Heat" was a return to the clear production, but it seemed to lack the emotion(no pun there) that "Emo" had. Most of the record resembles 'Major lable Debut' style songs, with fast music, obnoxious vocals and lyrics, and no need for a time counter. The best songs on 'Teen Punks in Heat' are 'bottom of the 9th', 'too worked up','things seem all fucked up today' and 'six percent', which is one of their better songs ever.

The cover art is classic, with more than meets the eye. The recent break up of Screeching Weasel might have been foreshadowed in the cover art, with the phrase "goodbye to the wannabe rock star" spraypainted on an alley wall next to a Screeching Weasel poster. Who knows, maybe I've got too much time on my hands. Anyway, 'Teen Punks in Heat' is less than outstanding, but better than mediocre. I recomend "My Brain Hurts" or "Bark Like a Dog" to the first time listener, but not "Teen Punks in Heat". If you've been a Weasel fan for years like me, it's definitely worth it.

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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.

sean021122 (March 11, 2012)

I gave this zero stars thank you.
One of the worst so called pop punk records to ever disgrace this band and any other once great band. This would be good material if it were put out by blink 5000 or good charlotte or something... But given the fact Benjamin Q. Weasel is a hypocrite, a woman beater, sexist, racist, phony, and a bunch of other dubious things... he actually tried to convince the idiot masses (all of you) at one time that this was great and to buy it! LMAO! Well where to start? The music is utterly pathetic, maybe 2 songs that are decent tops. All the rest are shills to the misguided fools out there who know even less about real punk than ol Benny does... and shells of their former selves with childish song titles, whiny (Fat Mike ripped off) vocals, childish songs with no emotion or passion behind any of them whatsoever. Going through the motions to pay the bills and attempt to make some money. Well now, that's what he's been doing forever now and at least he will tell you to your face he's a sellout wanna be punk who detests anything that real punks stand for. Politics are his life and no matter what side of the fence you are on, he is always right, you are wrong. He is god of course. Ask good ol' benny he will call you the peasant clown you are, now bow down to that arrogant self serving asshole. And of course he loved this record when it came out (well as much as phonies can like something they really don't like)but after it was burned and/or flushed down numerous toilets from Chicago to California-aaaaaa... he decided to run it down and call it the piece of shit it always was. But of course he is still pulling some hard earned royalties (out of his punkier than thou crusted ass crack) from this one and all the other trash this band put out since 1993. Anthem for a sucky tomorrow was prognosis for the end. The end of punk and beginning of mainstream radio friendly sellout piss.
Oh one more thing, the front cover of this illustrious piece of shit is ripped off from the Exploited. Thank you. Game. Set. Match. Martina Hingis.

sean021122 (March 7, 2012)

The score of no stars is for this band of the present and this awful record. Singing the praises of the cover would be like advocating plaguiaris,/ The cover is a blatant ripoff of the exploited and a few other past bands' covers. Use your brain's eye, you will see pics of what I am talking about. The old sw was amazing from their self titled until Wiggle. But everything afterwords truly sucks except Televsiion City Dream. This one was probably their worse record, bar none. An embarrassment to anyone associated with it or that was/is a fan. I will never buy another record of Ben's anyway given how I fel about his (lack of) character. He's a pathetic human being who I do not appreciate. But I will always give props to his amazing records from '86 to '92... Unfortunately as soon as 'Anthem For A Sellout Tomorrow' came out, they got so sickeningly poppy/commercial/mainstream sounding they were no longer the same band anymore.

titsandtats (June 28, 2004)

this score is for the band, not this one cd.
i like bark like a dog much better

Skanknsmile (December 27, 2003)

this album made me wanna hate screeching weasel, but then i listen to my brain hurts and realize they did once write good music.

Anonymous (June 18, 2003)

I agree with the post below. For some reason this album is just awesome, every song is good for some reason, I can still listen to it all the time and it doesnt get boring or anything. Problably one of my all time favorite albums.

Anonymous (April 20, 2003)

I must be nuts, but I absolutley love this album. I don't know if it was just the songs that did it, or that I was able to relate to alot of the songs but I just love this album.

Anonymous (November 28, 2001)

Doesn't anyone else think Boogadaboogadaboogada is good?

-Sr. Potpourri

Anonymous (July 11, 2001)

i think it's more of a downgrade.tv city dream was much better- fathead

Anonymous (July 10, 2001)

its just like an upgrade version of tv city dream

-faceecaf

Anonymous (July 9, 2001)

every screechin weasel albumn is different... this was not nearly as bad as tvcd...if it was 12-14 songs it would be perfect though

Anonymous (July 9, 2001)

Hey fathead, please contact me at brinepacer@hotmail.com about doing a column for my zine.

Anonymous (July 9, 2001)

This definitely was a disappointment. It all just sounds so uninspired. Not nearly as catchy as any of their previous albums. There are a few really good songs, like "Gotta Girlfriend" and "Things Seem All Fucked Up Today" but overall it didn't do anything for me. I'm very upset about their breakup, but if they were really as low on creativity and inspiration as this CD indicates, then I guess it's for the best.

I would also like to add that Bark Like A Dog and TV City Dream are both amazing CD's.