It’s hard to believe, but Canada’s McRackins have just released their 17th full-length record. The 23 minute Wake The Fun Up fits well in their vast discography which covers the entire spectrum of punk rock, hard rock and everything in-between.

“Annabelle” kicks off this short and sweet album with powerful dual vocals and guitar leads. For those unaware, both guitarist Bil McRackin and bassist Fil McRackin have released solo material and are accomplished vocalists in their own right. This is your typical punk rock song about falling in love with the wrong girl. In this case, the subject of the “Annabelle” movie is the one. The next track “Lockdown Lonely” kicks off like a 90’s alt-rocker which would be straight out of a move like “Clueless” or “American Pie.” As the title suggest, this song deals with the pandemic and how rocking out helped pass the time. The McRackins pick up the tempo on “Back In The Day” which follows. This faster and heavier track tells the tale of wanting to go back to simpler times as a kid. All the fun topics are explored here such as school, going to the beach and even having food fights! The bridge of the song boasts a tasty ear candy of a guitar solo. The Ramones influence of the band shines through on “Gladiator” which follows. The band sings of how tough and strong fighters were before the times of the UFC. The song packs a lot in two minutes including clever chord changes and the song’s title repeated many times. Everyone loves their music loud. The McRackins are no exception and claim as such through “Up to 11” where they proclaim that passion for higher volumes. This pop punk number features a faint guitar lead in the chorus to help accentuate the fun. I like to believe that the line of “Because I love it loud” is an ode to fellow makeup wearing rockers KISS. “L.A.M.P.” was previously released as a single and appears here on the album. This song has a classic slower glam rock feel in sound and tempo. This standout track showcases some loose guitar strumming and powerful backing vocals. Lyrically the song professes the feeling of love and protection that a lamp can provide through both light and shade. The tempo turns back up a notch on the title track “Wake The Fun Up.” This is a fun rocker about all things summer such as riding with the top down, popsicles and fudgecicles. Musically, this song takes a tongue-in-cheek 80’s glam metal approach which is not new territory for the band. The bridge even contains some arena style crowd chants and cheers to add to the fun. McRackins go down a step or two on the chromatic scale to present “I Hate It” which follows. The dark garage rocker with a driving tempo tells the tale of a controlling romantic partner. In true McRackins fashion, bright guitar leads and vocal “whoas” are present to break up the darkness. The band returns to steady mid-tempo with “Same As It Ever Was.” This atypical pop punk number deals with getting over the girl who decides to leave. I am sure many reading can relate! “Shit Just Got Real” is a powerful track about the pandemic. Sadly many lives were lost as countless got ill. There is some good metallic solo riffing in this number which is more than appropriate given the song’s subject matter. The album concludes with “Bubba Gub” about someone, real or not, who appears to be a good guy. My Google search came up empty on this one so I will chalk it up as a fictional character. All seems to work out for this cool cat who seems to get the girl.

To put it simply, Wake The Fun Up fits perfectly in the enormous McRackins catalog. This is the type of album which will easily gain new fans while appealing to the already faithful. This veteran band has remained true to their sound for decades and that is to be extremely respected. They have remained consistent throughout all trends. My only wish is that the album was slightly longer in length as it seemed to be over just as it was starting. If this album is your first rodeo with the McRackins, then I strongly suggest you work your way back through their catalog.