The Moms

Doing Asbestos We Can (2017)

John Gentile

The Moms take a clever turn at tying pop-punk into college rock into indie rock. Their newest LP, Doing Asbestos We Can reveals the band’s angle. This is a group of guys that like to twist a few yuks into music that is normally very, very, very serious. And that’s what elevates this band from some of their peers.

No doubt, “When We’re Older”is one of the aforementioned serious songs, built around huge chords and a melancholic disposition about an uncertain future. But, they follow that right up with “Soup Song.” Between the song s smirking “Sniffing glue in a one horse town” jib and its 90s radio rock influence, the song has an Oasis type melody but the wry humor of bands like the Cows or Butthole Surfers. Album opener ”Good Job” is 90 second, jangly punk kicker that contemplates two subjects lot in life from a pots view- comparisons to Plow United would be apt and that’s no small thing.

Throughout the release, the band plays with their influences. “Rock the Boat” takes a rockabilly swing and forces it into a ragged punk smasher. Heartless, with its lagging beat, almost approaches emo territory before wisely diverting into Jarvis Cocker territory. Longshot is rooted in a heavy stomp and wandering melody. You could say it a nod to classic period Green Day, but because the band is so careful in their rising and falling melodies, maybe Dinosaur Jr would be a more likely source. Yet, despite that this band is built upon the shoulders of their forefathers, their able to make their ingredients their own thing. That is to say, there are parts of other bands here, but by the way they are wired together, you get a release this may be reminiscent of the 90s alt rock boom, but is more a spiritual successor than a throwback.

It would have been easy for the Moms to fall into either the pit of homage or the pit of indistinctiveness. They do neither and that’s because, despite the oft combustible nature of this music, they plot their course very careful and are sure exactly hat they’re doing. Certainly, it helps that they have such great ears for huge, rolling melody. Still, even outing that aside, its hard to find big guitar rock with intelligence, taste, and character- but hey, here it is.