Chixdiggit!

Pink Razors (2005)

Hein Terweduwe

It was a long wait for this one, the 4th full-length from Canadian power-poppers Chixdiggit!, no longer on Honest Don's, but moving up the ladder to release this one on Fat Wreck in the States and the UK, and available through Sweden-based Bad Taste Records for the rest of Europe.

K.J.'s nasal vocals haven't changed a bit over the last 13 years, and neither has the sound: joyful, easy tunes (in various tempo) that make you happy and urge to sing and shake along. I wouldn't have wanted it any other way! The guitars have some of that Screeching Weasel/Ramones drive, but there's always those kicking poppy elements in their music, and almost every song has that little intermezzo guitar solo to spice it up a bit more. The only new sound you hear is "Nobody Understands Me," where they add some punchy synthesizer weirdness to the song. You get the inevitable funny everyday life lyrics that are as meaningless as undoubtedly was intented. And for once, I don't care that they are mostly about girls. The nice addition of a closing 27 minutes where the entire record is playing in the background while all the band members are commenting on every song is really big fun, and is a testimony of this band's love for playing music and above all, of their ability to stay modest about what they are doing.

Maybe it's true that these songs wear out after too numerous listenings, but as for now I entirely dig this simple, straightforward album. Play this whenever you have a bad day, the catchy tunes will brighten it up in no time.