Sunday, April 14, 2019

The Yoohoos - Up Goes The Rocket

The Yoohoos truly had me at "Hello!". I've always maintained that when pop-punk is done right, it's pretty much the best music ever. And The Yoohoos do pop-punk right! Up Goes The Rocket (Monster Zero Records) is the most exuberant, fun-filled collection of songs I've heard from any band in quite some time. It's actually this German trio's very first LP - although they've been a band for almost 14 years. There's only one word that properly describes this album, and that word is FUN! Would you expect anything else from three people named Eggnog, Vanilla, and Koko B.? The Yoohoos are definitely kindred spirits to Groovie Ghoulies, but with a more bubblegum sound and a more specific fascination with spaceships and aliens. What I enjoy about these three is that they're not afraid to go way over to the pop side of the fence. This is some of the poppiest pop-punk you'll ever hear, and I am loving it! The vibe is a great mix of goofy, sweet, and just plain adorable. Seriously: how can you not love a band that sings about cuddling all of the kittens in the world?! That's a mission I can truly endorse! The Yoohoos can rock the party like nobody's business ("Hello!", "Little Alien"), but they can also do pure tender pop that will just about break your heart ("Love Disposal Service", "Rainy Cloud"). There's just something super appealing about a band that can move seamlessly from the surprisingly touching sci-fi of "Rusty Robot" to the 41-second blitzkrieg of happiness that is "Spread The Magic". And after thinking for years that New Order's "Bizarre Love Triangle" would be an awesome song for a pop-punk band to cover, I am delighted to report that The Yoohoos have proven me right!

I have to admit that I had a "Where has this band been all of my life?" moment when I first heard Up Goes The Rocket. But I know darn well where The Yoohoos have been since 2005: in Nuremberg, making great pop-punk records! So the better question is where have I been all this band's life? This album just puts a massive smile on my face, and I'm so glad that Kevin from Monster Zero took the time to tell me about it. Yoohoos 'r GO!



-L.R.

https://monsterzerorecords.bandcamp.com/album/up-goes-the-rocket 
https://monsterzerorecords.com/products/yoohoos-the-up-goes-the-rocket-lp 
https://theyoohoos.bandcamp.com/ 
https://www.facebook.com/yoohoosarego 
https://www.facebook.com/MonsterZeroPunkrock