We're all certain Symphony of Distraction's Pudwack EP isn't some long-lost relic from the Fat Wreck catalog of the late '90s, right? Because, albeit occasionally Ergs!y vocals on this release, this is fast skatepunk right out of the playbooks written by No Use for a Name, Pulley and the like. And by that token, it's not bad.

Granted, the vocals have a level of snotty and the lyrics an occasionally rough touch ("So slap my balls / Sing deck the halls / I'm blacking out and feeling great") that feel like a bit too much. But the band's got a clip of reckless aggression they ride well, from the poppier inflections of opener "Stockholm" and "All Out of Luck" to the slightly less poppier romp of "Hello Whiskey Goodbye Brain" and "9 to 5 Suicide" (the latter's no A Wilhelm Scream, certainly). There's also the little El Hefesque riff work in "What's Made Milwaukee Famous" and "Operation Crazycrime".

The above song titles and lyrics hint at a certain irresponsible attitude towards drinking, but the band is sometimes clear enough to recognize the faults in this. The aforementioned "What's Made Milwaukee Famous", made famous by Jerry Lee Lewis but written by country music's Glenn Sutton, is redressed for their own self-deprecation purposes, while "Operation Crazycrime" offers more poignant similes on these troubles. Of course, this is all before self-explanatory closer "Rob Fucked a Stripper (In an S.U.V.)" briefly and crassly jabs at a probable band friend of sorts.

For fairly typical skatepunk retreading, this will definitely hold your interest and provide an amiable listen despite its faults.

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Stockholm
Hello Whiskey Goodbye Brain
All Out of Luck
9 to 5 Suicide
Thrill Me
Operation Crazycrime