Hey, even inveterate punk rockers can feel the urge for the crunch of power pop. Though Chicago punks The Methadones are not talking about first wavers like Raspberries, Big Star, or Badfinger here. They mean "New Wave" classics, which is just the sort of music they are reverently honoring on 21st Century Power Pop Riot.
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| Don't Want to Argue, Don't Wanna Budge..... |
Elvis Costello, Joe Jackson, Nick Lowe, Paul Collins and the Beat, The Records. Bands they heard and were inspired by.
Yeah, covers. There seems to be a bit of this going on lately. The difference on this 2006 release from Red Scare Records is that is one of the good ones! Basically we have harder, more punked out versions of the originals. But they don't try to destroy what they love, the monstrous pop hooks remain intact. If you've heard Down By Law cover The Proclaimers' 500 Miles or Big Country's In a Big Country you get the spirit of this, of what my fuss is all about.
Dan Schaefer: Lead vocals, Guitar
Mike Byrne: Guitar, Backing Vocals
Mike Soucy: Drums, Backing Vocals
Pete Mittler: Just Bass
The whole record sounds inspired, like a fantasy bar band. In addition to the aforementioned bands, there are some groups that had one hit, like The Jags, Back of My Hand. Great song. My college band used to play a version of this also. Of course The Jags had other songs that were pretty good, but that's how they are remembered.
And there are bands that everybody should know more about, like Vancouver's Pointed Sticks. That band holds there own with the best punk bands of the era in my opinion. The Methadones do their magnificent Out of Luck. They cover a song by Minneapolis' Crash Street Kids also, into you. They are a band that made only one album in the 80's, which apparently has never been reissued! And Off Broadway's Full Moon Turn My Head Around. I never heard of them before, and now I definitely need to investigate.
One of the high points on 21st is their version of Scandal's Goodbye to You. I always liked that song, but wasn't thrilled with what music the Patti Smythe did later on. The Methadones hand the mic over to the capable Annie Soviette of The Soviettes on this, and she and the band absolutely crush. I like version 2.0 better than the original.
Other covers of note are their amazing take on The Record Starry Eyes, with a smoking hot guitar take on the classic riff. You can't really beat the original, but they do it justice. The same can be said on Nick Lowe's Heart of the City. Cheap Trick is represented here also, with crunching run through. He's A Whore. Not as memorable as Big Black's version, but not bad at all.
Nice song selections here, with a good balance of new wave standards and lesser known songs. The Methadones rip through this setlist with enthusiasm and heart. What more could you ask for?
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