One great album could have been a fluke. Two definitely established a trend. But after three great albums, it's irrefutable that you're dealing with a truly great band. Such is the case with Green Bay, Wisconsin's shrewdest consumers, the almighty Smart Shoppers. On SHOP AMONG US, they don't just match the weirdo surf-punk-pop new wave brilliance of their previous output — they outright surpass it!
The band that invented the musical genre of dorkwave has now fully mastered it, and SHOP AMONG US is an album that will have you thrashing about, singing along, shaking what you've got, and geeking out to your heart's content as you fervently peruse the aisles of your favorite retail outlet. In this economy, it has never been more important to shop smartly. So this is not just the album we want. It's the album we need. Having already committed deeply to song title alliteration on 2023's LEFTOVERS FROM TOMORROW, The Smart Shoppers have gone to the obvious next level: every song title on SHOP AMONG US starts with the letter S. You have to be a really brilliant band to pull off an idea that stupid, and sure enough, The Smart Shoppers make it work to the point where you wouldn't have wanted it any other way. Not only has this band more fully realized its sound over the course of three albums, but it has also upped the quality of its songwriting with every new release. The 16 tracks comprising SHOP AMONG US are the band's catchiest, best-crafted, and (yes) smartest songs to date, weaving together the best parts of old school poppy punk, oddball new wave, nerdy indie rock, and contemporary garage punk in a manner that no other band could even attempt to duplicate. Much credit goes to front man Joey Shops for managing to find that perfect level of dorkiness where any more would be annoying and any less would even more annoying. Meanwhile, Aaron, Norby, and Jash have got the right chops to create this wonderful music that hits the sweet spot where fun and danceable meet genuinely original and wonderfully weird. This is easily one of the best albums of the year. It's streaming now with a vinyl and CD release coming soon!
No comments:
Post a Comment