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Gatorface

Sick and Stupid [10 inch]
2008
Paper + Plastick

Gatorface - Sick and Stupid [10 inch] (Cover Artwork)


Review by: Jelone
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Paper and Plastick (Logo)

Published on January 16th 2009

Things Gatorface Taught Me

  1. Like my gran-pappy used to say (or was it Mike Park?), mail order is still fun.

    Thanks to a sampler that No Idea Records included with a previous purchase, I got turned on to Gatorface. Along with Virgins, Gatorface is a spin-off from the former Floridian hardcore group New Mexican Disaster Squad by ex-members Alex Goldfarb and Richard Minino. Intrigued by what No Idea sent me, I opted to order the group’s debut EP, Sick and Stupid. Vinyl-only, my baby came on translucent gold wax, one-sided, with a nifty etching of a needle injecting a tentacle during a thunderstorm. It’s very Lovecraftian.

  2. If all else fails, you can always play pop-punk.

    The differences between New Mexican Disaster Squad and Gatorface are ultimately minimal. While NMDS might recall Strike Anywhere or Government Issue’s blistering yet snotty hardcore/punk, Gatorface skews ever so slightly towards punk of the pop variety. This is the sort of lifestyle change that will be a big deal to maybe 0.000001 percent of the world’s population at most. The rest of us can revel in how infectious Sick and Stupid sounds. It recalls Descendents, or maybe even Propagandhi circa How to Clean Everything.

  3. Sick and Stupid is jawesome.

    Offering six cuts (one of ‘em a DI cover!) in less than 13 minutes, Sick and Stupid blends early ’80s hardcore and early ’90s pop-punk, with high quality results. The knock-out of the collection is “Kid in a Candy Store.” Fast drums and a quick guitar strum kick it off, but it’s when the "whoa"s kick off in the pre-chorus that things start to tingle the spider sense. The song builds into this thrilling explosion of pop-punk euphoria (in cut time!). Goldfarb sounds remarkably assured throughout, but he really cuts his teeth on the lines “It’s only time, before we end up like the others / The difference now is that the stakes have grown much higher.” Everything gets pounded out for a few bars before the rhythm section drops out. Even with just guitar and a few more "whoa"s, the vocals still come off as anthemic.

    “Kid in a Candy Store” follows the pop-punk rule of vague lyrics, but listeners won’t be able to build their own meanings quite as easily with songs like “Flak Jacket.” Goldfarb takes to task Americans who, despite all evidence to the contrary, still support military involvement in the Middle East. At 83 seconds in length, the song cuts straight to the point – “Flak jacket / Would you wear it?”

    Regardless of how much one likes to read into lyrics, though, there’s no denying Sick and Stupid’s delicious slabs o’ punk. It’s a catchy, rocking romp throughout, and since it’s one-sided, there’s no need to flip the record. Digital fans get some love courtesy of a download code. New Mexican Disaster Squad isn’t really dead; just call ‘em Gatorface now.




People who liked this also liked:
Alkaline Trio - GoddamnitGaslight Anthem - Señor and the QueenO Pioneers!!! - Neon CreepsAgainst Me! - is Reinventing Axl RoseGaslight Anthem - The '59 SoundOff With Their Heads - From The BottomStrike Anywhere - Iron FrontDear Landlord - Dream HomesAgainst Me! - The Original CowboyThe Lawrence Arms - Oh! Calcutta!



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    Posted by SouthernLovin on 2009-02-04 12:32:22
    My Score:

    I like it. Not great, but good.

    Posted by ifgabeldiesiwilldie on 2009-01-24 19:51:44

    thank you ordering it within the week

    Posted by Jelone on 2009-01-20 08:14:50

    Buy it here, sir: http://www.iheartuproductions.com/KODstore/index.php?main_page=pr oduct_info&products_id=411

    And if you don't like jawesome/jawsome, then you can bite me (buh-dum bum pish!).

    Posted by salsashark on 2009-01-18 18:06:46

    Good review, but the use of "jawsome" was pretty stupid.

    Posted by ifgabeldiesiwilldie on 2009-01-17 10:56:16

    where can you order this from?

    Posted by chriskretzer on 2009-01-17 10:24:34
    My Score:

    Vocals/Bass (ex-NMDS, No Friends), Drums/Art (ex-NMDS, No Friends), Guitar 1 (Polluted Youth), Guitar 2 (ex-Says I).

    Posted by evildeadalive on 2009-01-17 05:46:19

    Which members are in which bands? (instruments not names... I don't know their names...)

    Posted by icapped2pac on 2009-01-16 20:17:14

    Link is missing the "L" at the end.

    Posted by Cos on 2009-01-16 20:03:00

    DI isn't that good though.

    Posted by Blackjaw_x on 2009-01-16 19:44:57
    My Score:

    Oh, my world. It is okay.

    But really, this is good for the "standard pop punk" genre, but I don't hear any redeeming qualities. I'm sure they're great guys making good and honest music, it's just not my thing.

    Posted by IanIsSuperRad on 2009-01-16 15:04:31
    My Score:

    I picked this record up at The Fest the VERY FIRST day it was available. Mine came on purple vinyl which goes perfectly with the artwork. While the music is great, I really can't say enough about the packaging. Vinnie is doing a really awesome thing with P&P.

    Posted by MaxwellMurder on 2009-01-16 14:22:29

    Does anyone know where I can buy a digital copy of this album?

    Posted by mikexdude on 2009-01-16 14:13:44

    Great review!

    Posted by punkengineer on 2009-01-16 13:49:10
    My Score:

    Score is for the Street Sharks reference, except it's spelled Jawsome.

    Posted by inagreendase on 2009-01-16 13:44:12
    My Score:

    Agreed. Even though this sounds like Descendents circa Everything Sucks, there's still a whole lot of NMDS on here.