Saturday, December 14, 2024

The Lockdowns - Can't Catch a Break


It's probably redundant to say we have another good pop-punk release coming to us from Mom's Basement Records. This label doesn't release anything that isn't good! "The Lockdowns" is such an obvious name for a present-day band that I'm surprised there aren't dozens of other bands out there called that. Perhaps these Lockdowns from Houston won the wrestling tournament or lottery drawing or pie-eating contest or whatever it was that decided which band got to be called The Lockdowns. Can't Catch a Break is their debut full-length, and I only wish I could go back in time and play it for my 25-year-old self. He/I would have been so stoked to discover that music like this would still exist in the distant and terrifying future of 2024. The cover art depicting a black Chuck Taylor sneaker stepping off a wad of bubblegum pretty tells you everything you need to know about this band. 

When it comes to pop-punk, there are two main categories of bands I most enjoy. I like groups such as, say, The Young Hasselhoffs who start from a fundamental pop-punk base and then proceed to grow and expand the definition of the genre. And I also like bands that completely eschew originality in favor of strict adherence to the sacred textbook of pop-punk as written by the Ramones and amended by Screeching Weasel. Obviously The Lockdowns are in the latter category. They aren't trying to move the ball forward or learn a fourth chord or turn any hater of pop-punk to the dark side. They make pop-punk music for people who proudly love pop-punk, and they do it well. Can't Catch a Break finds these guys laying the hammer down '90s-style — with some modern-day beard-core vibes in the mix as well. The album delivers a nice mix of heart-on-sleeve love songs, snottier tracks, and straight-up fun tunes. And of course I was thrilled that these guys covered the best Ramones song. If Lookout! (or better yet, Mutant Pop) Records is well-represented in your music collection, Can't Catch a Break will have you dancing in your leather jacket. 

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