The Ergs! - dorkrockcorkrod (20th Anniversary Remix)

Wow! The Ergs!' dorkrockcorkrod, one of the greatest pop-punk albums ever made, is now twenty years old! To celebrate this anniversary, the Ergs! just released a double LP re-issue package on Don Giovanni Records. This 20th anniversary edition of dorkrockcorkrod, which included the original album remastered by Justin Perkins, a remix by Steve Albini overseen by Mike Yannich, and an Ergs! oral history compiled by Mike Faloon, quickly sold out. If you snoozed, you lost. However, the Albini remix is available from all the major digital platforms and is well worth checking out if you love The Ergs! or pop-punk in general. 

 

To get myself in the correct head space for this review, I vowed not to listen to any teaser tracks or even listen to The Ergs! at all over the last few months. I wanted to hear dorkrockcorkrod with somewhat fresh ears. I wanted to discover if 53-year-old me would love this album the way 33-year-old-me did. I wanted to make sure I still thought this was a great record and not something best left in the early 2000s dustbin of history along side flip phones, reality tv, Mozilla Firefox, and Pepsi Blue. I wanted to make sure I still found The Ergs! to be worthy of a spot on my New Jersey musical Mount Rushmore next to Springsteen, The Shirelles, and Dramarama. I suppose the first sentence of this review spoils the suspense. Having gotten reacquainted with dorkrockcorkrod, I'm pretty blown away by how well it holds up. I can totally understand why this was one of my favorite bands of the 2000s — perhaps even my most favorite band of the 20000s. It would have been hard for me twenty years ago to separate my notion of what The Ergs! were based on meeting them and seeing them play from my notion of what they were based purely on their music. I've wondered: Did me relating to these guys as kindred spirit music nerds cause me to overvalue their actual records? Thankfully, I can answer that in the negative. Everything that made me love this band is right there for the listening on dokrockcorkrod: the encyclopedic knowledge of popular music, the infusion of '80s hardcore and indie rock influences into the pop-punk style, the devastating & fully authentic "brokenhearted love songs," the catchiest melodies you could ever hope to hear, the unpretentious yet undeniable musical chops, and that perfect mixture of dorky humor and lovelorn vulnerability. You just won't hear a better pop-punk album ever. At the time of this album's release, The Ergs! had already released two demos, a 7", and a CD EP. They were far from novices. But this was the album where everything finally came together —where all that talent and all those silly ideas blossomed into something truly great. 

Anyone who loved dorkrockcorkrod the first time around will get a kick out of hearing these recordings as mixed by the great Steve Albini. The remix sounds absolutely amazing. And if you weren't around when this album first came out or for whatever reason just never got into The Ergs!, here's your chance to discover one of the truly definitive albums of modern-day pop-punk — and likely THE definitive album of the "dork rock" genre. The Ergs! have been prolific enough to justify not one but two compilations of their non-album material, so my list of their best songs would be a lengthy one. But a whole bunch of songs off of dorkrockcorkrod would make that list. In particular, "Pray for Rain," "Most Violent Rap Group," "Saturday Night Crap-O-Rama," "Vampire Party," "A Very Pretty Song For A Very Special Young Lady, Part 2," and "Everything Falls Apart (And More)" are locks for any Ergs! best-of playlist. Unless I concede that I've had zero emotional and intellectual progression in the past 20 years, I have to conclude that dorkrockcorkrod has withstood the test of time in a major way. Of course I've been known to get carried away in touting a band, and surely I'd find my own hyperbole cringe-worthy if I re-read my original review. But you know what? I wasn't wrong! I'll be sure to re-evaluate this album again in ten years when it's reissued on brain-implantable computer chip. 

-L.R.

https://theergs.bandcamp.com/album/dorkrorkcorkrod-steve-albini-remix
https://open.spotify.com/album/64tpAkZq3Lmc3PAHAMdxAS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FY6tN6dBedM&list=OLAK5uy_kDqsqot9NMsjQqHY5ywk5RnJ3YAJlj5Zg
https://www.facebook.com/p/The-Ergs-100063796026629/

Mikey Erg - Love At Leeds

After listening to Mikey Erg's new album Love At Leeds, all I could say to myself was "Holy crap!". It's not that I'm surprised that Mikey Erg made a great record. It was 22 years ago that I wrote my first rave review of an Ergs! release. I have consistently referred to The Ergs! as THE greatest pop-punk band post-2000, and I have not been disappointed whatsoever with Mikey's recent run of solo albums. That said, Love At Leeds is next level stuff. Of course I'd be burying the lede if I didn't mention that this release fulfills Mikey's life-long dream of recording an album with Steve Albini. With his talented Tentative Decisions players (Jeff Rosenstock, Alex Clute, and Lou Hanman) in tow, Mikey headed out to Chicago last year to make a record with the legendary sound engineer. Mikey had always wanted to capture the "Steve Albini sound" on record (Nirvana's In Utero is one of his favorite albums), and he fully realizes that ambition on the extraordinary Love At Leeds. Does that mean that this is Mikey's "grunge" record? Not quite. This still sounds very much like a Mikey Erg album -- albeit one sonically influenced by '90s indie/alternative rock. It continues the direction of Tentative Decisions and 2019's superb Waxbuilt Castles -- occasionally dipping its toes into the pop-punk pool but also drawing from Mikey's myriad of influences in the larger worlds of pop and rock. 

It's necessary to mention that Love at Leeds sounds amazing. This was Mikey Erg's first-ever all-analog recording, and the results do not disappoint. I don't know if this is a "power pop" record per se, but it's very powerful and very pop. The guitars and drums in particular sound like a million bucks. Yet what matters the most is that this is as strong of a batch of songs as Mikey has ever written. Songs like "Caroline Told Me So" and "Almost Like Judee Still" reaffirm that this guy is a master of the pop-punk craft. But this album hits its high points when Mikey strays from formula. "Always Like This" is dark, hard-rocking, and packed with raw emotion. "Goodnight Vienna" is pure pop done to perfection. The standout "Landmines" manages to acknowledge Mikey's love for Nirvana without trying to be Nirvana. "On a Carousel" is exactly what a Hollies cover recorded by Steve Albini ought to sound like. 

You have to wonder if the Mikey Erg of 22 years ago ever dreamed that someday an album of his would be recorded by Steve Albini and mastered by Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering. He's probably still pinching himself to make sure this is all for real! From the moment I first heard the likes of "Thinking With My Heart" and "Blue" all those years ago, I knew Mikey was destined for great things. He really is one of the finest singer/songwriters in the modern-day pop word, and he's only getting better at his craft. Love At Leeds is his crowning achievement to date. Get it now from Don Giovanni Records! 

-L.R.

https://mikeyerg.bandcamp.com/album/love-at-leeds
https://www.facebook.com/mikeyergmusic
https://www.facebook.com/dongiovannirecords

The Ergs! - Renovations

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! 

-L.R.

https://theergs.bandcamp.com/album/renovations
https://www.facebook.com/people/The-Ergs/100063796026629/
https://wallriderecords.bigcartel.com/product/the-ergs-renovations-ep
http://www.wallriderecords.com/
https://www.facebook.com/wallriderecords/

The Ergs! - "Okay, Enough Reminiscing." Hindsight Is 20/20, My Friend Volume Two (Vinyl Release)

Special circumstances are required for me to review an album twice. In the case of The Ergs' "Okay, Enough Reminiscing." Hindsight Is 20/20, My Friend Volume Two, the circumstances are indeed special. Historians will note that this is not a compilation of non-album Ergs! tracks but rather a sequel to a compilation of non-album Ergs! tracks. It was compiled a couple of years after the band's breakup with the intention that it would eventually be released as a proper album. By 2016, The Ergs! figured that the market for a defunct band's second odds and ends LP would be extremely limited in the digital age. Hardcore fans would have already owned all the music, and more casual fans simply wouldn't have cared. With that in mind, the band released "Okay, Enough Reminiscing." in the digital format. And that was that...or so we thought! I was satisfied that the last sentence I would ever write about The Ergs! was "I choose to imagine that Artie Lange owns this comp and listens to it often."

Fast forward to 2021: the legendary (at least in these parts!) Creep Records determined that there actually is a market for a (semi) defunct band's second odds and ends LP. At this very moment, I hold in my hands a vinyl copy of "Okay, Enough Reminiscing." Hindsight Is 20/20, My Friend Volume Two. I'm not usually a format geek, but I've got to say it's really freaking cool to have this album on vinyl! I'm staring at Jay Insult's beautiful cover art depicting a scene from Dirty Work -- one of the true cinematic masterpieces of modern times and the official favorite movie of The Ergs! It makes me sad that Norm Macdonald and Bob Saget have recently departed us just as this LP finally receives a proper release. In that respect, this album is a tribute to their immense talents. 

Remarkably, The Ergs! were able to fill a 22-track album largely with songs that were released after their breakup. "Okay, Enough Reminiscing." contains the entirety of 2008's That's It...Bye 12", four of the five cuts from 2010's Thrash Compactor 7", the band's tracks from splits with Teenage Bottlerocket and The Measure, a whole slew of hard-to-find compilation tracks, songs from the band's aborted project Experimental Test Pavement, and a couple of live tracks. Listening to this collection again a few years later, I'm still impressed that a band with a double LP compilation of non-album tracks already under its belt was able to assemble a sequel compilation and not have to fill it with crap (And, no, I definitely would not consider a 24-second hardcore song about Johnny Rzeznik deserving a beating to be anything close to filler)! Of course this is not anyone's ideal starting point for The Ergs! But it was never supposed to be. If you're a fan, you will want this album in your collection. Quite a few of these tracks ("Anthem for a New Amanda", "Encyclopedia Self Destructica", "Blah Blah Blah, Fuck You, Blah Blah Blah") are in my estimation essential Ergs! songs. And covers of the likes of Egghead., Sicko, Parasites, Devo, and The Minutemen acknowledge the wonderful variety of influences that made The Ergs! what they were/are (If you're an Ergs! fan who has never heard Egghead., I'm giving you two months to acquire a copy of Would Like A Few Words With You...there will be inspections!). Joe Keller's liner notes are a super cool touch. If you were curious about where these songs came from or how this album came to be, all the juicy details await in fine print!

It's kind of strange the way technology continues to change the face of underground music. Five years ago, I might have agreed that a vinyl version of "Okay, Enough Reminiscing." would likely meet with lukewarm sales. But what I've noticed in our community in recent years is that technology isn't replacing the experience of buying records --- it's facilitating it. People in our world still love records. They hear about cool releases via social media, podcasts, blogs, etc. and can go right to a label's Bandcamp or webstore and order the vinyl. On that note, you can hit up the Creep Records online shop today and order a copy of "Okay, Enough Reminiscing." on a mystery color of vinyl! I'm no expert on punk rock vinyl marketing, but I've got a feeling that Creep will have no trouble moving a full pressing of this stellar comp. I hope they saved a copy for Artie! 

-L.R.

https://shopcreep.com/products/the-ergs-hindsight-is-20-20-vol-2-12-colored-vinyl-random-color
https://theergs.bandcamp.com/album/hindsight-is-20-20-my-friend-vol-2-ok-enough-reminiscing
https://www.facebook.com/people/The-Ergs/100063796026629/

The Ergs! - Time and the Season

I've been tampering my expectations for 2022 after 2021 turned out to be nothing more than a bad sequel to 2020. That said, any year that affords me the opportunity to write about The Ergs! (at least) three times sure seems promising. Out today, the 7" Time and the Season finds The Ergs! back on Dirtnap Records, the label that released their second studio album and first compilation album. It's also the band's first new release since 2016's triumphant comeback EP Goddamn Death Dedication. So basically, this is a really big deal. Public displays of elation are well within reason and ought to be expected. 

After many years of study and deliberation, I have reached the conclusion that The Ergs! were the greatest pop-punk band of the 2000s. And it's not even close. The Ergs! were the Cadillac Eldorado, and whoever was #2 was a set of steak knives. At the peak of their game (in my estimation, The Ben Kweller EP through dorkrockcorkrod), The Ergs! were the best band on the planet. And so it delights me that Time and the Season reminds me so much of that "classic" period of The Ergs! The press release mentions it's "like they never went away", and that is 100% on-point. "Ultimate Falsetto Book" instantly takes me back to those good old days of the early to mid 2000s. Imagine, if you will, a world in which telephones were used for talking and people could agree that Nazis were bad. And if you were a girl-crazed lonely dude desperately looking for love, it was as if Mikey Erg was singing straight from your soul. I am pleased to discover that the formula holds up splendidly well to my 50-year-old ears. Another original, "Half Empty Strip Mall", employs quite the poignant modern-day metaphor in service of a vintage Ergs! number. The fact that this EP is 50% covers shouldn't dissuade anyone from making a purchase. The Ergs! have always excelled at covers, and here they tackle a couple of stone-cold classics from the 1960s. "Say You're Sorry" was originally recorded by The Remains, one of the most underrated American rock and roll bands of all-time. And of course you would hope that a band that once wrote a song called "Rod Argent" would eventually have a go at The Zombies' "Time of the Season". If you didn't know any better, you could mistake "Say You're Sorry" for an Ergs! original. "Time of the Season" is a little bit more of a straight cover, but the "they make the song their own" cliché certainly applies. And if this rendition leads just one person to discover that Odessey and Oracle is one of the greatest albums ever made, it'll be mission accomplished! 

It feels so good to be reviewing The Ergs! again! And this is just review number one of three! In the near future, I will have much to say about the band's new country EP Renovations and the long-awaited vinyl release of its second compilation album Hindsight is 20​/​20, My Friend Vol. 2: OK, Enough Reminiscing (on the legendary Creep Records!). I would have been happy with any new Ergs! music, but Time and the Season isn't just any Ergs! release. It's a freaking excellent Ergs! release! I'll delve further into where "Ultimate Falsetto Book" ranks in the Ergs! canon when I review Hindsight is 20​/​20, My Friend Vol. 3 in ten years.

-L.R.

https://dirtnaprecords.bandcamp.com/album/the-ergs-time-and-the-season
https://theergs.bandcamp.com/album/time-and-the-season
https://www.facebook.com/people/The-Ergs/100063796026629/
https://www.facebook.com/people/Dirtnap-Records-Official/100063625227282/

Mikey Erg - Bon Voyage

Well look who has come back to his pop-punk roots! Mikey Erg is way too much of  a music geek to limit himself to one narrow genre of music, and his next record could just as easily be country rock or vocal jazz or a triple album collection of jam band covers. But oh man, he's still so great at pop-punk! Mikey was asked by Stardumb Records to do a 7", and he took the opportunity to make this project a veritable love letter to pop-punk. At a deeper level, Bon Voyage is also a tribute to the pre-Internet heyday of the punk rock 7". Remember when you'd eagerly await each new issue of Maximumrocknroll so you could scour the ads and find new records to send away for? Those were the days, man: you'd stuff three or four dollars in an envelope, drop it in the mail, and within 7 to 20 days, you'd have a new 7" sitting in your mailbox! For a teenage Mikey Erg, the affordability of the 7" record surely played a vital role in the development of his encyclopedic knowledge of bands. He would then go on to join half of those bands.

One particular record label that heavily influenced Bon Voyage was Mutant Pop Records, which more often than not released four-song, stand-alone EPs by really cool pop-punk bands. This 7" includes - you guessed it - four completely exclusive songs! The Ergs! never got to do a record with Mutant Pop, but Mikey working with the heir apparent Stardumb is probably the next best thing. Musically and lyrically, Bon Voyage finds Mikey in prime early/mid 2000s form. Put this record on and listen to a master at work! Mikey made his name writing catchy pop songs about the disappointments in his love life, and the title track here can hang with his greatest hits from back in the day. The peppy "Colleen" is in a similar vein, with the less speedy yet totally hard-punching "The New Departure Blues" sandwiched in between. I've always believed that every pop-punk band ought to do at least one Beatles cover at some point, so it's more than satisfying to hear Mikey have at "Mother Nature's Son" from the White Album. If just one person hears this song and decides that The Beatles merit further investigation, it will be mission accomplished. 

I have warm feelings towards Bon Voyage for a variety of reasons. My roots in the punk world were also in buying a ton of 7" records and being fanatical about pop-punk. I have related deeply to Mikey Erg as a singer and songwriter since I first heard the opening strains of "Thinking With My Heart" 20(!) years ago. And you know I love Stardumb Records. It was darn time that these two institutions of pop-punk worked together! This is the ultimate pop-punk record from one of the ultimate pop-punk labels, and you can probably have it in your hands in far less than 20 days! Get it in the USA from The Machine Shop!



-L.R.

https://mikeyerg.bandcamp.com/album/bon-voyage
https://www.stardumbrecords.com/products/mikey-erg-bon-voyage-7
http://www.themachineshoprocks.com/Mikey_Erg_Bon_Voyage_7_EP_p/erg2.htm
https://www.facebook.com/mikeyergmusic/
https://www.facebook.com/stardumbrecords/

Mikey Erg - Waxbuilt Castles

I'm just gonna come out and say it: Waxbuilt Castles is Mikey Erg's best album yet! If we are limiting this discussion to solo Mikey Erg, that means I'm putting this release ahead of 2016's Tentative Decisions (which I also love). The "buzz" around Waxbuilt Castles is that it's a huge departure for this beloved figure of pop-punk. This, it's said, is his "'70s pop-rock album". Mikey has even stated he was going for his own version of Paul McCartney's first solo record. All of this is true. And as someone who's old enough to have experienced '70s pop-rock firsthand, I have to say Mikey has really hit the mark here. Yet I wouldn't describe this album as a departure so much as I would call it a logical progression from Tentative Decisions. Even in the heyday of The Ergs!, it was obvious that pop-punk was only a fractional component of Mikey's songwriting influence. I always thought of him as a guy who writes great pop songs, period. And Waxbuilt Castles is a great pop record, period. 

Recorded in collaboration with Mikey's band-mate from the LLC, Alex Clute, Waxbuilt Castles finds Mikey Erg doing what Mikey Erg does best: writing songs about heartbreak, loneliness, and regret. These types of songs have been his bread and butter since he wrote "Thinking With My Heart" nearly 20 years ago, and he's grown into a true master of the form. The entire first verse of "Clueless Or Cruel" is as devastatingly relatable as anything that Jim Ellison or Doug Hopkins ever wrote. Perhaps on this release, Mikey has softened his vocal approach a tad. And with the integration of piano, pedal steel, and acoustic guitar into his sound, he's a long way from punk rock here. Yet Waxbuilt Castles still sounds like classic Mikey Erg - which speaks to how his talents have always transcended genre. The upbeat, jangling pop of "Bad Decision Monday" would not have sounded out of place on Tentative Decisions. "& Nico" is just a more mellowed-out version of the kinds of songs he's been writing for two decades. And even when he's blatantly indulging his '70s fetish (the easy-going soft rock of "Kimberly Gofigure", the early Elvis Costello worship of "Little Crushes", the bittersweet country rock of "Why Was I Programmed To Feel Pain?"), he does so in a way that feels totally true to himself. Mikey's feel for what makes a great song has only grown stronger with age, and with this particular album there are so many tracks that will absolutely grab you. "Clueless or Cruel" boasts the sort of simple but indelible chorus that some songwriters spend their entire careers chasing. "Hopland Superette" comes on so unassumingly, yet you'll suddenly realize you've been singing that hook for a week. "Kimberly Gofigure" might be Mikey's own "Hold My Life" - a song that at first seems oddly laid-back for a lead-off track, but ultimately proves to be the perfect album opener.

While Waxbuilt Castles has Mikey Erg's name on it, it was by no means a one-man creation. Mikey found the ideal collaborator in Clute - whose instrumental prowess and creative input were integral to this release. But that's what great artists do: they find other great artists capable of pushing them to new heights. Don't let the "this isn't a pop-punk album" angle discourage you. Waxbuilt Castles is the best collection of songs Mikey Erg has ever written. Even without buzzing guitars and racing tempos, these songs will still punch you in the gut. If you've been a fan of this man's music through the years, there's almost no way you won't love this record. And if your parents like it too, how is that anything but a huge win?



-L.R.

https://mikeyerg.bandcamp.com/album/waxbuilt-castles 
https://twitter.com/mikeyerg 
https://dongiovannirecords.bandcamp.com/ 
https://www.facebook.com/dongiovannirecords/ 

My Top 20 Favorite Bands: 2000 to Present

I fully acknowledge it's weird that after spending so many years touting new music, my list of all-time favorite bands is still comprised almost entirely of artists from the '70s. So I got an idea: what if I wrote a massive list of my all-time favorite bands and then deleted everything that was pre year 2000? What would that look like? It was an easier exercise than I expected. I had no trouble coming up with a long list of bands from the present century that I totally love and still listen to on a regular basis. For bands that were active prior to 2000, I only considered their post-2000 output. For more recent bands, I had to factor in that their recordings may have not yet been subjected to the "test of time". With all of that in mind, here we go! 

20. Phone Jerks
I know what you're thinking. "Didn't their first album just come out?!" Fair enough. But in a world without Teengenerate and Loli and the Chones, Phone Jerks are the next best thing. Plus there was no way I could write a list like this and not represent multiple bands from Canada.


19. The Cry!
First album is a bona fide power pop classic. Second one isn't bad either! I anticipate we will finally get a new album from this band in 2019.

 
18. Something Fierce 
Don't Be So Cruel still sounds like the best album that the 1980s Clash never made. Rumor has it that Something Fierce is now on the verge of releasing new music for the first time in eight years. 

 
17. The Dahlmanns 
I've reviewed this band on seven occasions. It actually seems like more than that! The gold standard for the marriage of pop and punk. 

  
16. Sugar Stems
Super underrated extra awesome power pop group. I highly recommend all three of their albums. Does pop music get any better than "Love You To Pieces"? 


15. The Figgs - As the '90s turned over into the 2000s, The Figgs were at the top of their game. I probably listen to Sucking In Stereo as much as I listen to any Figgs album. Badger is my favorite Figgs EP by far. The early stuff gets all the love, but this band's post 2000 output is no less impressive.


14. The Unlovables
Crush * Boyfriend * Heartbreak is one of the greatest pop-punk albums ever made.


13. Nato Coles and the Blue Diamond Band
Promises To Deliver is my most most listened-to album of this current decade. 


12. The Kidnappers 
A decade before it was fashionable, The Kidnappers concocted a peanut butter cup mashup of garage punk and power pop, peaking with the "Spanish Girls" single and Neon Signs LP. I have enjoyed the twins' more recent outfit Küken, but I must admit I still miss The Kidnappers!  


11. Night Birds 
For my money, this is the best punk group of the last ten years. Favorite album: Born To Die In Suburbia. Second favorite: Mutiny at Muscle Beach. If you like old school hardcore punk with brilliant lyrics and a ton of melody, you need to own this band's entire discography. Little-known fact: I have consciously inserted a Seinfeld or Larry David reference into four different Night Birds reviews. I'm saving "These pretzels are making me thirsty" for the next full-length.


10. Bobbyteens
This band would have ranked higher if I'd allowed myself to consider its early singles and debut album from the late '90s. Still, top ten ain't too shabby! 2000's Not So Sweet is my favorite of the band's albums - a definitive mixture of the Ramones, girl groups, and power pop.


9. Midnite Snaxxx 
Is there any punk musician of the last 25 years more under-appreciated than Dulcinea Gonzalez?


8. The Connection
I've referred to The Connection as "America's best rock n' roll band", and I think that sums it up pretty well. 


 7. Beach Patrol
 I've been a huge fan of this Green Bay outfit since 2006, when I named its full-length debut my album of the year. Over time, the band has only gotten better. Domenic has become one of our finest songwriters. The recent Levity is, in my opinion, the best album he's ever written.


6. Pale Lips
It seems like only yesterday that I was hearing this band for the very first time. It was actually four years ago! Pale Lips' debut LP was officially listed as my #2 album of 2016, and the band's latest is almost certain to be my #1 for 2019. Definitely my favorite active band.


5. Exploding Hearts 
I don't think much explanation is required here.


4. Kung Fu Monkeys
The creation of a Kung Fu Monkeys Bandcamp page officially remains the best thing to ever happen to The Internet. I recently decided to put on School's Out, Surf's Up, Let's Fall in Love to see if it still holds up after 18 years plus. Boy, does it ever! There's never been another album quite like this. It's like pop-punk meets twee meets meets surf meets kiddie pop meets bubblegum meets '60s teenage dance party, propelled by James Cahill's seemingly impossible vocal range and a rhythm section that plays as if it's hopped up on Pixy Stix. Music more joyful than this has never been produced by humans. The early 2000s saw the band moving into its "mature" phase, which produced several less punky yet still totally delightful 7" releases. More recently, 2012's Son Of... The Incredibly Strange Case Of The Mysterious Mystery 7" arrived seemingly out of nowhere and delighted longtime fans with some gorgeous and masterful baroque pop. 

  
3. Stiletto Boys
Yeah, I know this band had a home field advantage. But I would have been a fan even if they'd been from thousands of miles away. It's funny how time changes your impressions of things. When the Stiletto Boys made their first album, I was like, "I love it, but I kind of miss the rawness of the singles". When their second album came out, I was like, "I love it, but I kind of miss the rawness of the last album". Looking back all of these years later, I am awed by the way the Stiletto Boys pushed themselves to get better and better with each new release. I can still put on A Company of Wolves and find myself stunned by its greatness. Sean Wolfe was so driven to make Liberator perfect that he was willing to scrap a completed album and start over. It ended up being 13 years between albums. And it was worth it. Liberator (2013) proved to be the band's masterpiece - a must-own for fans of power pop influenced punk rock with insightful and intensely personal lyrics. If you lost track of the Stiletto Boys after the year 2000, you've got some serious catching up to do. R.I.P. Sean.


2. The Ergs 
If you want to see me when I'm angry, call the Ergs a generic pop-punk band. Sure, they were Descendents fans. They were also into hardcore, jazz, and obscure indie rock. They were unabashed music and book geeks, which I related to on a personal level. They fully understood that Dirty Work is one of the true cinematic masterpieces of our time. How can you not appreciate a band that releases a single called "Blue" and backs it with a cover of "Blew" by Nirvana? Only a person well-versed in the road signage of northeastern Pennsylvania interstates can appreciate the humor in writing a song called "Ashley Sugarnotch". Most importantly, the music still holds up. Dorkrockcorkrod is an all-time top five pop-punk album in my book. f'n remains one of the most impressive demo tapes I've ever heard. And don't even get me started on the singles. On my Mt Rushmore of New Jersey rock, I have The Boss, The Shirelles, Dramarama, and The Ergs!


1. Dimestore Haloes
The Haloes coming in at #1 will surprise no one. Granted, I had to remove their first two albums from consideration. But their last two albums are actually their best, in my humble opinion. The Ghosts of Saturday Night was the perfect transition between what the Haloes had been and what The Cheap Cassettes would later become. Wait, you don't own it yet?! Get on over to Bandcamp and rectify that immediately!


So there you have it. There were quite a few other bands that just missed the cut (too many to mention, in fact). But I'm pretty satisfied with this list, and I plan on updating every year!

-L.R.

Character Actor - self titled EP

The only thing I love as much as the story behind Character Actor is the New Jersey outfit's actual music. This project began as a creative outlet for three longtime friends who had had all become dads around the same time. It started with Jeff Schroeck (Black Wine/The Ergs!) and Brian Gorsegner (Night Birds) retreating to the garage to "write some loud, fuzzy pop songs". With the addition of Evan Kiel (Forward To Death), Character Actor solidified as a trio. The band's debut EP was recorded in January, and it's out now on Dirt Cult Records. Musically, this could not be any more up my alley. Catchy pop tunes with noisy guitars? Sign me up! Surely Chris from Dirt Cult heard these songs and immediately knew Character Actor had to be on his roster!

Jeff Schroeck wrote these songs, which absolutely bear his style. When you hear his voice and guitar playing, you immediately know who it is. And I can't think of a lyricist who is more clever or literate. His words always blow me away while still leaving lots of room for interpretation. How many other bands have introduced themselves to the world with a line like "We're all warm chairs/To those seeking heat"? Literature and popular culture have always been frequent inspirations for Schroeck's songwriting. That continues to be the case on songs like "What I Learned From Righteous Cowboys"("The tall man, gun with a pearloid handle/He can shoot the flame off a Mexican prayer candle") and "Rubicon Beach" (which does reference the Steve Erickson novel). The tempos are for the most part snappy, although that gets dialed back some on the thoughtful, laid-back "72 Paperbacks". There is pretty much zero chance that fans of Black Wine and Ergs! won't love Character Actor. And it's fun to be reminded that the lead singer of the world's greatest punk band is also a sick drummer! If you long for the 1980s heyday of indie rock and college radio, this is a band that really captures that spirit. Is this what dad rock has become in 2018? If so, I endorse it fully!



-L.R.

https://dirtcultrecords.bandcamp.com/album/character-actor 
https://www.facebook.com/dirtcultrecords 

Unfinished Business: Mikey Erg - Tentative Decisions

Continuing my series of posts on releases I should have reviewed in 2016, we come to my most unforgivable omission. Mikey Erg is one of my favorite singers and songwriters of all-time, and his proper solo debut Tentative Decisions is his first album of original material since The Ergs released Upstairs/Downstairs ten years ago. While the man is a pop-punk legend, I've never met an individual with a greater passion for music of just about every imaginable genre. Tentative Decisions, while immediately recognizable as the creation of Mikey Erg, shows what this formidable talent is capable of when he doesn't limit himself to just pop-punk. Forays into folk/Americana ("Scenic Turnout"), straight indie rock ("Waiting Out The Weekend"), jangle-pop ("Song for New Britian"), and droning noise rock ("NyQuil and Sudafed") prove genuinely successful. And while it ultimately doesn't stray that far from the sound Mike is known for, Tentative Decisions is a record that genuinely transcends genre. Its appeal lies not in musical style but rather in Mike's heartfelt vocals, bittersweet lyrics, and ever-pleasing melodies. It's just a freaking amazing album - and easily one of the best released by anyone in 2016. Better late than never, I now give it its due! 



-L.R.

https://mikeyerg.bandcamp.com/album/tentative-decisions
https://www.facebook.com/Mikey-Erg-117377614995202/

The Ergs: one final collection!

So I promised that my review of Goddamn Death Dedication would not be my last-ever post on The Ergs. While it was incredibly satisfying to hear the band bow out on such a high note, the New Jersey trio has also left behind one final treat for fans. "Okay, Enough Reminiscing" is the sequel to the band's compilation Hindsight is 20/20, My Friend -  and it collects all of the singles the band released after Volume 1 came out along with some rarities and unreleased gems. It's a digital-only release available from The Ergs' Bandcamp, and it's affordably priced for just $5. You get 22 songs in all - including a few that have never seen the light of day before. I suppose that one could argue that this release is for fans only. But, you know, that's the whole point! The fact that The Ergs have managed to release two full compilation albums inspired by one of the greatest motion pictures of all-time, Dirty Work, only adds to their considerable legacy. Contained here you'll find tracks from the band's That's It ...Bye and Thrash Compactor EPs along with the songs from splits with The Measure [sa] and Teenage Bottlerocket, covers of the likes of Parasites & Sicko, and even a couple of live tracks. The song selection was carefully thought over by the band, and it's clear that The Ergs' recorded output fully merited a second singles collection. This is all quality stuff, and a number of these songs belong in every fan's collection. "Anthem for a New Amanda", in my humble opinion, is up there with the best of the Ergs 7" cuts. "Encyclopedia Self-Destructica" is the closest the band came to writing its own "Answering Machine" or "Within Your Reach". "Johnny Rzeznik Needs His Ass Kicked" ought to air as a public service announcement on TV and radio. And The Hunchback cover "Last Man On Earth" might be the most essential track on the entire compilation.

So it seems that the releases of "Okay, Enough Reminiscing" and Goddamn Death Dedication fully close the book on The Ergs. If so, what a book it was! This was, at least, the greatest pop-punk band of its time. And how can you not love a band that records a thrash EP just for the fun of it and introduces a ZZ Top cover as "proto pop-punk"? The incredible response to the trio's brief reunion this year shows that this was not a band that would be quickly forgotten. And damn straight, the music holds up! Those unfamiliar with The Ergs would be well-advised to start with Volume 1 of the Hindsight series or 2004's brilliant LP Dorkrockcorkrod. And if you're a confirmed fan, OK, Enough Reminiscing is the best possible way for you to spend five bucks. Download comes with PDF liner notes which tell the stories behind the songs. I choose to imagine that Artie Lange owns this comp and listens to it often.



-L.R.

https://theergs.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/The-Ergs-21797342661/

Holy crap: a new Ergs 7"!!!

Did you witness the wildness and sheer ecstasy of Chicago Cubs fans celebrating their World Series victory? That would give you an idea of how I behaved when a brand-new Ergs record showed up in my mailbox last week. The neighbors are still looking at me funny. 

I must have reviewed The Ergs at least ten times between 2000 and 2007, and I can't think of a band I loved more in that first decade of the millennium. It has now been eight years since the band called it a day, and you could say we have the demise of The Ergs to thank for some of the best music of recent times (Night Birds, Black Wine, solo Mikey Erg). Even so, I'd be lying if I said I haven't missed The Ergs. In conjunction with a reunion show recently performed at The Fest 15, The Ergs got together earlier this year and secretly recorded a new record! It's out on vinyl on Whoa Oh Records – the label that gave us the band's debut 7" and LP way back when. And while I'm happy that Goddamn Death Dedication exists at all, I'm even happier that it's a great Ergs record. You can tell that the guys really took the task of making one last EP seriously (while still refusing to take themselves seriously, which is their ultimate appeal). Each band member brought a top-notch original song to the table, and an avant garde meets noise rock cover of The Knack's "My Sharona" is the sort of rock nerd inside joke that has always endeared this band to me.

Leadoff track "Depot Avenue" is vintage Ergs all the way - amazing pop-punk with a wonderfully wistful/melancholic vocal from Mike and the usual ace guitar work from Jeff. Nobody writes or sings this sort of song better than Mikey Erg - who so convincingly represents every dude who's ever loved and lost. If you wonder how he's found time to amass such extensive relationship experience while also playing in over 400 bands, well that is a mystery that some of our most brilliant physicists have been trying in vain to crack. The Joe-penned "September/October" is hard-driving and catchy as hell- bringing to mind later SST era Husker Du if they'd gone full-on pop-punk. If I were forced to name my favorite track on the record, this would be it. "Everybody loves the new car smell/But I think the lease is up as far as I can tell" is the best lyrical couplet of the year. "Walk Against the Parade" again demonstrates what a fantastic lyricist and hugely underrated songwriter Jeff is. It's such a straight-forward, satisfying punk tune - yet incredibly profound as well. Whether you think of "No Sharona" as a mere exercise in comedy or a true triumph of interpretation, there's no denying that you haven't heard anything like it before. Think turn-of-the-'80s Manhattan no wave meets the screeching rage of Nirvana at its most dissonant - somehow applied to one of the most ubiquitous pop hits that Western civilization has ever known. I consider myself a huge fan "My Sharona" and have even been known to get into fist fights with individuals who think it's amusing to enjoy it "ironically". I can appreciate that The Ergs picked this song for transformation because they realize how awesome it is.

Given how many years it has been since The Ergs disbanded, it's probable that the band would be unknown to at least a small percentage of people who currently follow punk rock. And I really think that if you've never heard The Ergs before, Goddamn Death Dedication is as good of a place as any to start. This is not the work of a once-great band phoning it in just for the sake of delivering product. And although all of these guys have grown immensely as musicians and artists over the years, when they get together they still sound like The Ergs. Hearing the goofy banter at the beginning of "Depot Avenue", I'm taken by how little The Ergs ever changed in spirit from their earliest days. The records got better and crowds got bigger. But to the end, The Ergs were three music geeks playing pop-punk with heart and humor. For all of the fans who've been eagerly awaiting Goddamn Death Dedication for months, I guarantee that you won't be disappointed. It's an A-caliber Ergs release. If this is the last we ever hear from the band, I can't think of a better way to bow out. I can happily tell you that this is not the last Ergs review I'll ever write. More on that in a week or two!

You can order Goddamn Death Dedication via The Ergs' Bandcamp or the Whoa Oh Records web site.  The Whoa Oh web site has the entire label discography available for streaming, so check it out and dig into some of the finest pop-punk records of the last decade and a half!



-L.R.

https://theergs.bandcamp.com/album/goddamn-death-dedication
http://www.dorkrockcorkrod.com/
http://www.whoaohrecords.com/