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Teenage Bottlerocket / The Ergs!

Under the Influence Vol. 4 [7 inch]
2008
Suburban Home

Teenage Bottlerocket / The Ergs! - Under the Influence Vol. 4 [7 inch] (Cover Artwork)

Review by: Torgo
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Suburban Home Records (link)

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Published on January 13th 2009

Many punk rock fans are salivating at the Under the Influence series (can you imagine when the Gaslight Anthem / American Steel volume is released?). This is the first one I purchased: two beloved modern pop-punk bands hit us with cover choices that aren’t surprising if you’re a fan of either the band.

Teenage Bottlerocket tackles Green Day’s “Having a Blast,” one of the best tracks off their seminal masterpiece (yeah, I said it), Dookie. Teenage Bottlerocket takes the BPM up a few notches, and the harmony is improved over the Green Day version, but other than that it’s a carbon copy cover. I would have liked to see them take it to a different plain. While it’s crisp and completely listenable, there’s no incentive to listen to it over the original, which should be rule #1 when attempting to cover a song.

The other side shows the Ergs! take on Devo’s “Blockhead.” Where Devo uses muted guitars and synthesizers, the Ergs! transform it into dirty punk rock. Even the loud, monotone gang vocals of “Blockhead!” at the end of the Devo version is turned into a more familiar hardcore-sounding call-and-response. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the song is hearing how much Jeff Erg’s guitar playing is influenced by Devo, something I’m sure he wouldn’t be afraid to admit.

The Ergs! win this battle, but overall the set works like bubble gum -- delicious for a handful of spins but isn’t long lasting. Thanks to Suburban Home offering a free digital download with purchase; you won’t have to feel guilty about taking it out of your record player. Although, you may want to keep the 7" jacket in view for quite some time, as Mitch Clem's take on Dookie is endlessly funny and cute.

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Posted by neverbeenbetter on 2009-07-26 22:53:41
My Score:

these guys look like gays

Posted by inagreendase on 2009-01-16 17:06:30

I haven't heard the Ergs! side yet, but based on my favoritism towards Dookie and TBR's bang-up job, this might be the first split ever where the band I like less comes out the winner.

"Oh, I expected Paul Blart: Mall Cop to be stupid, and it was... so that makes it alright then."

This actually makes perfect sense to me.

Posted by ashtraymonument on 2009-01-15 17:08:11
My Score:

enjoyable I guess. the mustard plug/BTMI! one is the best so far.

I loved the TBR side of the cover. fucking blood bath at burger king, Blake and Fletcher, Joey Ramone, the dude about to give the hippy the chair. amazing

Posted by ChokingVictim on 2009-01-15 15:40:36

i really enjoyed the TBR cover.

Posted by chrisafi on 2009-01-14 11:03:47

Tom Gabel addition - I admit, same league.

Greenday - you might not have given two shits, but I remember Warning in 2000(?) causing a massive shit storm between 'it's a return to dookie' and 'arse' camps

Posted by mikeinflames on 2009-01-14 07:37:46

"Greenday, been awhile since their name dropped in.

I believe they are coming back this year - they are alongside AFI (also releasing this year) the band best at pissing more and more people off with every release, its quite phenomenal."

what are you talking about? no one gave two shits about green day for years. pretty much from 1996 to 2004.

Posted by GlassPipeMurder on 2009-01-14 01:03:44

it's also on iTunes for 99 cents. just got it / love it. forgot how much i loved Dookie.

Posted by theonetruebill on 2009-01-14 00:21:59

Aaaaaaaaaand Gotsmuch just summed up exactly what's wrong with punk rock/vinyl collective right there.

Posted by gotsmuch on 2009-01-13 23:47:24

yeah but it's a vinyl-only release... so if you collect, you don't care what a review of the record says. i bought all 3 colors.

Posted by warmchords on 2009-01-13 23:25:36

I'll probably look around for this just because of the ergs!

Posted by wonton on 2009-01-13 22:35:18
My Score:

pretty awesome.

mitch clem's take on dookie alone makes this worth your money.

Posted by Dudley_Shale on 2009-01-13 22:16:22

Posted by chrisafi on 2009-01-13 20:53:07

Greenday, been awhile since their name dropped in.

I believe they are coming back this year - they are alongside AFI (also releasing this year) the band best at pissing more and more people off with every release, its quite phenomenal.

Tom Gabel is OFFENDED.

Posted by Torgo on 2009-01-13 20:57:40

theonetruebill:

I see your point, but that doesn't make it okay. That's like saying, "Oh, I expected Paul Blart: Mall Cop to be stupid, and it was... so that makes it alright then."

Posted by chrisafi on 2009-01-13 20:53:07

Greenday, been awhile since their name dropped in.

I believe they are coming back this year - they are alongside AFI (also releasing this year) the band best at pissing more and more people off with every release, its quite phenomenal.

Posted by theonetruebill on 2009-01-13 20:16:29

I want to know what everyone was expecting from the Teenage Bottlerocket side. Seriously. Did you really expect them to radically re-invent the song or something?

Posted by crackpotdemagogue on 2009-01-13 19:30:56
My Score:

this shit is the shit!

Posted by aahhhh on 2009-01-13 17:46:08
My Score:

but for real, this split is awesome

Posted by aahhhh on 2009-01-13 17:44:04

your moms face is my seminal masterpiece (yeah, I said it)

Posted by MN_punkmaster-skaman on 2009-01-13 15:35:26
My Score:

Good review, but I really enjoyed both covers equally.

Posted by JerryCola on 2009-01-13 15:27:54

The TBR side is bland but the Ergs! really did an amazing cover, it makes me wish they would have put out a covers album before they broke up.

Posted by damo on 2009-01-13 15:24:56
My Score:

the TB track is disappointing. sounds like the song is going thru the motions. hopefully it's just shite production

Posted by mattramone on 2009-01-13 15:13:55

I like it. The Ergs! song doesn't do it for me, but whatever. At least we still have the That's It...Bye! EP to keep us warm at ngiht.

Posted by inagreendase on 2009-01-13 15:08:04

I guess hindsight is really 20/30, or something.