As I conclude my trilogy of 2022 Ergs! reviews, this is a fine time to reflect on what a special band The Ergs! truly are. The band's breakup proved to be a blessing in disguise; without it, the world may have never experienced the greatness of Night Birds, Black Wine, and albums like Tentative Decisions. That said, it was even greater blessing that the disbandment of The Ergs! proved not to be permanent. There's something magical that happens when these three individuals get together to make music. The band's new EP Renovations is a perfect case in point. It's the product of three guys' unique musical talents and collective influences. Mikey and Jeff's vocal styles are about a million miles apart yet so perfectly complementary that one can only conclude that their partnership was willed by the musical gods. And if Mike's lovelorn vocals are the most immediately recognizable component of an Ergs! song, Jeff's guitar tone comes a very close second. Joe's bass work, always some of the best in the business, provides the unsung heroics. If you remove any of the three players from the equation, it's just not the same band.
While by no means mischaracterized as a country record, Renovations sounds like The Ergs! more than anything else. The Lew Houston artwork had me feeling "classic Ergs!" vibes, and the music follows suit. Opening track "Tonight's the Night" manages to sound like a country song and a pop-punk song at the same time. I know that sounds completely impossible. But in the world of The Ergs!, nothing is impossible. Mikey Erg is hard to beat when it comes to writing songs about heartbreak and love gone sour, and he's in top form on this song. What could be more country (or more pop-punk) than waxing poetic on the pain of a devastating breakup? As the title of the EP suggests, "Renovations" is the centerpiece of this record. It's a vintage Jeff Schroeck composition and quite possibly the most personal and profound song he has ever written. Here the country stylings mix seamlessly with SST Records influences as Jeff laments the regretful consequences of actions never taken. The song is both an earworm and a lyrical masterpiece. Rounding out the EP, "Penny in the Jukebox" is the most conventionally country song of the bunch -- with an additional hint of Paul Westerberg at his most soul-crushing. On this simple, sincere song, Mikey tackles themes of loneliness and failure in a way that's sure to break your heart.
There's no telling if and when we'll ever get more music from The Ergs!. For the moment, the band has left off with one of its finest releases yet. I don't think Mikey or Jeff could have written songs like these 20 or 15 years ago. Call it punk, country, country punk, or whatever you like. These are tunes we can all relate to as human beings. The big myth about pop-punk is that it can't grow up and still be good. Well the older, wiser Ergs! are sounding pretty, pretty, pretty good. I have the sneaking suspicion that I have yet to write my final words on this band. Renovations is available on vinyl from Wallride Records while supplies last!
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