Mean Jeans - Gigantic Sike

I've reached the point where Ramones-inspired bands are an all-or-nothing proposition for me. Either I totally love 'em, or I am completely uninterested. There's not much middle ground. I've always considered Mean Jeans to be one of the better Ramonescore/pop-punk bands out there, but I must admit that my interest in this trio had been waning for a while. Well let me tell you: just when I thought I was out, Mean Jeans have pulled me back in! Their fourth LP Gigantic Sike (out today on Fat Wreck Chords) is the kind of album that affirms the eternal awesomeness of buzzsaw pop-punk. Singer/guitarist Billy Jeans has admitted that the band "tried to hard" on its previous release Tight New Dimension. For Gigantic Sike, Mean Jeans simplified their approach and just tried to bang out killer punk tunes. What results is an exciting and totally fun poppy punk record - but with a surprising lyrical depth.

What happens to America's definitive party punk band when it's time for responsible adulthood to kick in? That's the general theme of Gigantic Sike. It's a record about the "bleak existence of a party boy", with songs exploring the grave consequences of long-term substance abuse and the loneliness  that awaits when all your old pals outgrow the party-hard lifestyle. On opening track "Party Line", Billy Jeans goes as far as to sing out his actual phone number. The sad twist is that no one's calling. I must say I really love this particular iteration of Mean Jeans. I am notoriously a non-fan of party anthems. But this darker, sadder, and intensely self-reflective songwriting angle is totally up my alley! The "gigantic sike" referenced in the album title is the idea that a band trapped in an identity it never fully intended to create can free itself by playing its entire existence off as a joke. You find yourself yearning to jump in a time warp and re-do the entire past decade of your life. But while this is certainly the most "serious" record Mean Jeans have ever made, they've never sounded more like themselves. They stick closer than ever to the Ramones blueprint - mixing no-frills three-chord slammers ("Stuck In A Head", "Buddy's Leaving") with poppier numbers that'll stick to your skull like glue ("WTF Is Up Tonight", "Time Warp"). These guys really wrote a strong batch of tunes here, and they execute the tried-and-true pop-punk style to perfection. And even with the somewhat bleak point of view, this record won't cheat you out of a Wayne's World reference, a little profanity, and a visit to outer space. This IS a Mean Jeans album, after all!

I would never discourage bands from trying new things and progressing creatively. But I must admit that I'm extremely delighted to hear Mean Jeans embracing simplicity on Gigantic Sike. The aversion I sometimes have to Ramones-inspired bands is that they just make me wish I was listening to the real thing. But a band like Mean Jeans proves that it's still possible to start with a Ramones influence and do something interesting and unique with it. Thankfully, Gigantic Sike doesn't actually void the entire existence of Mean Jeans. It adds a new chapter to the band's story - one I find incredibly compelling. If Gigantic Sike was the first thing you ever heard from this band, it would make you want to hear a whole lot more!



-L.R.

https://meanjeans.bandcamp.com/album/gigantic-sike 
https://www.facebook.com/themeanjeans