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The Yuppie Pricks

Broker's Banquet (2005)
Alternative Tentacles Records

Reviewer Rating:

Contributed by: Brian
(others by this writer | submit your own)

Published on February 11th 2005

The Yuppie Pricks hold a schtick so ridiculously over-the-top, so laughably bizarre, so comically absurd that you can't really help but take notice. With a press release telling of the band's lavish lifestyles and greed-chasing outside endeavors (multimillion stockbroking, sitting heir to a pharmaceutical fortune), the Pricks accomplish, as their headline decrees, "Biafra [listening] to America and [answering] the mandate for conservative punk!" Tongue is shoved so far in cheek, reconstructive oral surgery wouldn't settle this mouth.

The band's sound isn't too hard to pin down. It's catchy punk rock with some serious Dead Kennedys worship going on, and though the sarcasm is way more fleshed out than most bands even attempt to meet halfway, the snotty, very Biafra-like bark shouts over rolling drums, clashing three-chord strums and facetiously thrilled backup vocals, although very done before, will be pretty refreshing in the mind of any even slightly-jaded individual in the present day. The band's subject matter ranges from angel dust gatherings to orally pleasing Governor Schwarzenegger to leaving the living world behind with nothing but wads of monetary accomplishment behind them. The first of such is evidenced in the opener, "Coke Party," which begins with a mocking of Queen's "We Will Rock You," throwing in obvious sniffle noises between the foot stomps before the crescending announcement of "coke party coke party coke party COKE PARTY! (gonna get high, gonna get high!)"

Oh, did I mention this was over-the-top? I ask, because, "Damn It Feels Good To Be A Yuppie," which closes Broker's Banquet, is a rap-ballad about the band's lifestyle, complete with a bridge from a George W. impersonator. Seriously.

The Yuppie Pricks, while musically nothing new, have definitely chosen the appropriate vehicle (not a jewel-encrusted, irony-laden BMW) for their almost superfluous image. Recognition is deserving for effort alone, but hell, the music ain't bad either.

MP3s
Coke Party
Hummer In My Hummer

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Ibanezmancons (September 8, 2008)

I was impressed with this album.
People give it a lot of stick because the lead singer "sounds like Jello Biafra", but I think it stands as possibly one of the best punk albums on Alternative Tentacles ever.

And yeah they get Jello to sing as George W Bush on the last song so it's EVEN better.

The only letdown on the album is 'Paycheck' which is perhaps TOO cocky and not very listenable.

Worth seeing them live I think.

Anonymous (January 21, 2006)

Fuck all you Jello haters. Go listen to blink-182, you're obviously to stupid to comprehend great punk music.

oh, cool album too.

rkl (April 27, 2005)

Not-to-Regret: strange, people still seem to remember the dickies, the dead milkmen, and to a lesser extent, if only because they havent been around as long, the aquabats.

Anonymous (February 14, 2005)

I see the yuppie pricks every chance I get. they are the best band ever. the reverse physcology is ingeniues. They are the best thing to happen to punk ......since punk. and I tell them every time I see them. they rule !!! russ in dallas

Anonymous (February 14, 2005)

Have you guys checked out the website?? There's about a thousand photos of the lead singer and he weighs about a bill less than the '05 Biafra. It's not Jello.

But you can see "Trevor Middleton" in his baby blue-striped Speedo. Jesus, freakin' hilarious!!

Anyone seen these guys live?? Says they're touring in April??

Anonymous (February 14, 2005)

tell it to your mama, emo-boy... and btw, don't knock it 'til you've tried it - laughing once in awhile, that is. ha ha ha. see - it's not so hard.

Not-To-Regret (February 13, 2005)

Joke bands will never be remembered, fuck this shit. DK's did it 20 years ago.

stevejonestherealbones (February 12, 2005)

"Score is for Leftover Crack

No. This score is for Leftover Crack.

No. This really is the score for Leftover Crack."

no. this actually is the score for shut the fuck up

- jones the bones

- stevejones8770@yahoo.com

Haggard (February 12, 2005)

"No. This score is for Leftover Crack."

No. This really is the score for Leftover Crack.

-Justin

corpseofmymotivation (February 12, 2005)

"Score is for Leftover Crack!"

No. This score is for Leftover Crack.

Anonymous (February 12, 2005)

hahaha

Anonymous (February 11, 2005)

Fear > these guys

-duped

Anonymous (February 11, 2005)

Yeah same here..damn kids

CallingLondon (February 11, 2005)

i just creamed my pants

swingline (February 11, 2005)

oh yea. those teenie boppin kids loooooove jello biafra. i mean shit that's all i see at abercrombie stores these days. yup... dk and yellowcard, one and the same. fucking poseurs!

Anonymous (February 11, 2005)

"Jello does the GW Bush imitation in the "rap" song."

Now all the teenies wil love em for that, Jello is fuckin lame

gladimnotemo (February 11, 2005)

So it's like a 21th-century FEAR, with the Dead Kennedys playing the tunes? Niiiiice.

Their website is nothing short of amazing.

lushj (February 11, 2005)

This is like the current hardcore punk version of The Upper Crust... and they apparently do the whole schtick live too, just like The Upper Crust.

Upper Crust = AC/DC, Yuppie Pricks = Dead Kennedys, what's next?

P.S.- Yes, they have a non-Jello singer, and yes, Jello does the GW Bush imitation in the "rap" song.

Anonymous (February 11, 2005)

Jello has an ace voice. I like this band's name.

Joe

Anonymous (February 11, 2005)

Man...I had this idea for a hardcore band a long time ago but never did anything with it. It was gonna be called The Preston Hills Yaucht Club. Oh well, you snooze, you lose. At least I took the idea and made a short film.

Anonymous (February 11, 2005)

how can you listen to this shit. just listen to anything that jello has done. i cant take this singer seriously, sounds like he just practices to sound like jello

- jones the bones

- stevejones8770@yahoo.com

i-type-poorly (February 11, 2005)

RFTC's "Crack Party" > anything this album can come up with

Anonymous (February 11, 2005)

Haven't listened yet, but the description immediately gives me a "Dead Milkmen vibe"--snotty, three chord sarcasm. And the Queen thing seems eerily reminiscent of the Doors impersonation on "Bitchin' Camaro"

-duped

(okay, just listened. goddamn that's a good biafra)

Anonymous (February 11, 2005)

i dont like the warble either. actually thats probably the main reason i was never a big dk fan

Anonymous (February 11, 2005)

Score is for Leftover Crack!

Anonymous (February 11, 2005)

i donbt really like it either

maverick (February 11, 2005)

Yeah, pretty much. Jello's better than any of your favorite frontmen.

-Scott

jamespastepunk (February 11, 2005)

Am I the only one who is not a fan of Jello's trademark warble?

KB (February 11, 2005)

Its not Jello, its some other guy who wants to be Jello. However, Jello does do guest voclas on "Damn It Feels Good To Be A Yuppie"

BrandonSideleau (February 11, 2005)

it sounds almost identical to Jello......which isn't a bad thing at all......but on their site it says it's some other guy....either the site is lying or this guy just really loves jello. great stuff.

Anonymous (February 11, 2005)

i m gonna say that that is jello biafra, no one sounds that similar. and the topics seem like his hilarity

BrandonSideleau (February 11, 2005)

sounds great.....who cares if its not original....it sounds great

Anonymous (February 11, 2005)

Sorry- HeWhoCorrupts already has your lame shtick and frankly, they blow your fucking nuts off.

Anonymous (February 11, 2005)

it'd be awesome if it were true.

-el v

Anonymous (February 11, 2005)

That first mp3 was just terrible, the second was eh

TheOneTrueBill (February 11, 2005)

This is amazing.