Showing posts with label Vista Blue. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Vista Blue. Show all posts

Sunday, August 02, 2026

Vista Blue - So Much Music!


I've noticed, and I am sure you have too: the sheer amount of music that's out there and available to listen to these days is vast, overwhelming, and growing exponentially. But leave it to Vista Blue to remind us that that's not necessarily a bad thing. On its new single "So Much Music!", the band reflects on this world we now live in. There really is so much music out there that no one could ever keep up with everything. We will all die without hearing hundreds of records we may have loved. You've got new bands and artists popping up every day. You've got reissues of old stuff you love and old stuff you may have never heard but would like to hear. Heck, The Glow Bots broke up in '98 while recording "Genie in the Amp," and their label just released the unmastered tracks on Bandcamp. But you know what? It's all OK! 

This song manages to poke fun at the deluge of music that's literally at our fingertips yet still frame it in an ultimately positive light. And the cover art is a tribute to all of you out there who love music too much to ever worry about there being too much of it. You can say that the worst thing about music today is that anyone can release a song. But isn't that also the best thing about music today? Aren't we better off without corporate suits dictating which music the world gets to hear? That would be like allowing one franchise to dominate Major League Baseball (oh, wait). Sure, with all the options people have for "consuming content," it's harder for bands to get anyone to listen or care. But still, you eventually find your niche and connect with your people. "So Much Music!" is a vintage Vista Blue song. It's upbeat pop-punk that mixes humor with a genuine spirit of love for music. In a way, it's like a sequel to  "Somebody's Favorite Band." You've got a lot of things going on in life and may never actually check out that new Chromadome EP. But someone out there knows every song by heart. 

On the virtual B-side, the faster, punkier "She Only Listens To Blue" is another love letter to music geekery. It's a simple concept, as it's about a girl who believes that the blue album is the only good Weezer record. I could probably start a war if I stated an opinion on this topic, so I'll just say a lot of you will have your own strong opinions one way or another. And isn't that the sort of thing that makes it so much fun to be a rock nerd? You may know someone who only listens to blue. You may be that person. But you probably don't have to travel far to find someone who is willing to die on the hill of Hurley having a couple of good songs. I like that the narrator in the song is a good sport about all of this. If two people with very different opinions about Weezer can maintain a functioning relationship, there has to be hope for this world. 

I know what you're thinking: What's Vista Blue doing releasing music on any day other than Friday? Well, you know there's so much music out there. Sundays are lighter traffic for new releases. And now you've got all week to find four minutes to listen to this gem of a single. Hey, all you bands out there putting music into the world: I salute you!

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Sunday, July 12, 2026

Vista Blue - "Wooden Horse"


In addition to holding the record for being the most frequently reviewed band on Faster and Louder (today they surpass Roger Maris with write-up #62), Vista Blue is also the only band that I've ever reviewed both twice on the same day and on back-to-back days. The back-to-back day part of that has been accomplished today, and I know a lot of you are speculating about any improper benefits I may have received in exchange for facilitating such a milestone. Let me reiterate that it would be unlawful for me to accept any shipment of alcoholic beverages brought into the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania from an unlicensed entity. The truth is that I just really love this band and really love writing about this band. I will go as far as to vow that I will continue to write about music for as long as Vista Blue continues to exist as a musical entity. So yeah, if Vista Blue releases a song in 2050 to celebrate Pete Crow-Armstrong's Baseball Hall of Fame induction, I'll almost surely be there to write a review that you can download from a microchip in your eyeball and read in your flying car. 

Just when I was starting to wonder how nearly every band I love releasing an album in 2026 would impact the musical offerings of 2027, I get my first "I can't wait until next year!" moment. In March of 2027, Vista Blue will release an epic project titled 50 Stories. The album will include 50 songs, which will all be inspired by books and short stories Mike has enjoyed over the years. Given that I'm a book geek when I'm not busy being a music geek and a sports geek, I'm really stoked about this release. The brand-new single "Wooden Horse" is a sneak preview of the album. Leave it Vista Blue to take inspiration from Homer's Odyssey and come up with a love song! The song's release, of course, coincides with The Odyssey hitting movie theaters this week. It's something a little different for Vista Blue. It features strings arranged and recorded by Nicolas Ocampo and falls closer to pure majestic pop than it does to punk rock. That said, it still feels like a classic Vista Blue song. 

Obviously, when you're putting 50 songs on an album (I still can't believe they're doing that!), there's going to be a lot of variety in terms of musical style. So this is just a little taste of what's to come. Mike and Mark really knocked this one out of the park, and I appreciate that the use of strings actually fits the song. They didn't say, "Let's put strings on this track because we can!" They put a lot of thought into this one, and I feel like the folks at Universal Pictures will be pretty upset they didn't know about the song in time to put it in the movie. This tune has bigtime closing credits energy! The connection to the Odyssey is undeniable, yet the song's relatability transcends any particular work of literature. Will this be on Christopher Nolan's personal playlist by year's end? I wouldn't be surprised!

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Saturday, July 11, 2026

Vista Blue - "50 Years"


There are few things I enjoy more in life than a happy love song. And if it's coming from one of my favorite bands, I'm going to be doubly delighted. On its new single "50 Years," Vista Blue has brought us the ultimate happy love song. The song celebrates the 50th wedding anniversary of the band's good friends Kent and Barbie Duffy. Kent co-wrote the lyrics with Mike, and then Mike and Mark recorded the song. Kent and Barbie gave their blessing for the song to be released for streaming, and now we all get to share in the celebration!  

First of all, congratulations to Kent and Barbie! 50 years of marriage is an amazing, beautiful thing, and I wish you many more anniversaries to come! Secondly, I'm really blown away by what a genuinely fantastic song this is. To be able to write a song like this that's heartfelt, beautiful, and sentimental without being cheesy is an amazing achievement. The song takes a matter-of-fact approach that is touching and relatable. I'd be lying if I said I didn't tear up the first two to seven times I read the lyrics. The line "I closed my eyes and opened them/And now it's been 50 years" absolutely gives me goosebumps (I'm feeling the exact same way today about 17 years!). I love the way the song looks back at all the things that have happened in those 50 years — the places Kent and Barbie have lived, the children they've raised, the songs on the radio that have come and gone. And here they still are. The last verse incorporates a passion for music into their love story and reflects on memorable shows they've seen together. And of course, Mike and Mark perform the song joyfully and splendidly. 

There's so much darkness and despair in this world right now, so a song as sweet and uplifting as this was exactly what I needed. I don't think Mike ever gets enough credit for being an excellent singer (honestly, it was the first thing I noticed about Vista Blue back in the day), and here he takes on the tall task of having to give voice to the words that came from another person's heart. But that plays to his natural sincerity as a singer. What an inspired performance, and what a wonderful anniversary gift to give to dear friends! Much is made of Vista Blue being lyrically unconventional for a pop-punk band, but isn't that exactly what makes this band so endearing? Even when they're not doing love songs, the love is always coming through since every song means something to them. Here, they are doing a love song, and it couldn't be more perfect.

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Saturday, March 28, 2026

Vista Blue - Batting Around


Baseball season is never officially underway until Vista Blue properly opens it with a baseball-themed release. But we didn't have long to wait this year, as Vista Blue released Batting Around the day after the real Opening Day (one game on Netflix doesn't count) — and on Mike's birthday to boot. Mike got an early present in the form of a Pete Crow-Armstrong contract extension with the Cubs, and now he and Mark have gifted us four new Vista Blue tracks that no ABS system will ever be able to deny. 

The title track starts things off with some snappy, toe-tapping punk rock that celebrates one of the most formidable achievements a baseball lineup could ever hope to attain (and no, Meta AI, "batting around" does not refer to casually hitting the ball in a relaxed or informal setting). "Good Reputation" takes things in a more pop direction. It's a song about the one guy who's on the roster because he's respected in the clubhouse and contributes to the team in ways that are never apparent on the stat sheet. "What's Your Favorite Lockout?" is one of my favorite types of VB songs — a 30-second speed-burner that makes The Queers sound like Emerson, Lake & Palmer. And I'm absolutely on board with '94 being the gold standard for MLB lockouts. "I Don't Wanna Be DFA'd" is in classic VB territory. Paired with "Good Reputation," this song finds Mike and Mark speaking up for the guys who aren't big stars with massive contracts. A lot of players have to fight for roster spots and hope the axe doesn't fall on them when it's time to designate someone for assignment. I'll be pouring one out for Garrett Stubbs, a Phillie with a good reputation who has sadly been DFA'd. 

From that first chord of "Batting Around," I knew I was in for another first rate Vista Blue release. I'm always open to interpreting this band's sports songs on a metaphorical level, so let's hope that this is a year where all of you clear the bases in your life and put some crooked numbers on the board.

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Sunday, January 25, 2026

Vista Blue - Still Curlin'


Eight years ago, Vista Blue released what I believed to be the first-ever pop record dedicated to the wonderful sport of curling — a split 7" with The Zambonis. And with the 2026 Winter Olympics drawing near, the time was right for a sequel. So Vista Blue is back with a second curling-themed release titled Still Curlin' (kudos to Nolan and Conor for the brilliant Beach Boys rip-off cover art!). 

You may recall that the energy created by Vista Blue's last curling record resulted in Olympic gold for Team U.S.A. In 2022, without a Vista Blue curling release, Team Shuster came up short in the bronze medal game. And while Team Shuster has been displaced by Team Casper, optimism abounds this year. In typical VB fashion, "We're Still Curling" is an upbeat punky pop anthem about the power of persistence and dedication. I also like how this song perpetuates a mystique that the members of Vista Blue are not just fans of curling but also competitive curlers themselves. That's a very Beach Boys angle to take, and I choose to believe that it's true: like all these guys, when they're not making music, are out there on the sheet perfecting their curling skills. There are, in fact, more than enough members in Vista Blue to form a curling team. Could they take The Vapids in a match? On the digital B-side, "Where's Team Shuster?" rips at a hardcore pace and asks a question that millions of people will be asking when they tune in to the Olympics this year. Perhaps Team Shuster will be back at the French Alps in 2030, but for now, it's all about Team Casper. Here's a crazy fact: When Vista Blue released that last curling record, Daniel Casper was only 16 years old! Can he get his squad to come up big against the vaunted teams from Great Britain and Canada? We shall see! But in the meantime, I've got my soundtrack ready.

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Saturday, January 10, 2026

Vista Blue - Yesterday


I love it when songwriters cover themselves! Yesterday, Vista Blue's new EP, finds Mike, Mark, and Donna tackling seven songs Mike wrote for The Robinsons between 1999 and 2009. As a huge fan of Mike Patton's singing and songwriting, I'm thrilled to hear him revisiting songs that he mostly wrote when he was in his 20s. I sometimes lose my mind when I realize how long ago the 2000s were. The math tells me that even the newest songs on this album would be old enough to drive a car, and the oldest ones would be eligible to run for Congress. At any point that these songs were being written, Donovan McNabb was my favorite football team's quarterback. 

It must have been fascinating for Mike to reacquaint himself with songs he wrote when he was young and interpret them from his present-day perspective. Are any of us really the same person we were 20 years ago? So often, we look at the things our younger selves left behind and cringe. But Mike has found at least seven Robinsons songs he liked enough to put back into the universe. And I'm so glad he did. Any Vista Blue fan who's not already a Robinsons fan will be as soon as they hear this EP! You get all the buoyant charm that you've come to expect from Vista Blue but with perhaps a little more of a pure pop-punk style. And it's clear from the jump that Mike's flair for endearingly clever lyrics is not something he only recently acquired. This all makes me very disappointed in myself for not being hip to The Robinsons back in the day. Had I known back in the early 2000s that there was a band in Chalmette, Louisiana channeling The Mr. T. Experience by way of The Blue Album, I would have been all over that! 

If you're in the "Why doesn't Mike write more love songs?" contingent, you'll be delighted by "Chalmette Romance," "You're Just a Cover," "The Lucky One," and "If Bill Gates Was My Dad." "I Love You (But the Game Is On)" has me cracking up because it reminds me of my own marriage and all the useless Philadelphia sports knowledge that my wife has had no choice but to absorb as a consequence of living with me (and yes, countless times, I've urged her to hang on because there were only two minutes left in the game). "I Hate Sonic Records" is perhaps the first love song I've ever heard that primarily exists to make fun of an overpriced record store. Mike wrote "Bedtime" before turning 33 as a response to Pulp's "Dishes," making it a perfect transitional song between his twentysomething compositions and the stuff he writes now. Because I so quickly forget that 2004 wasn't five years ago, I always relate to songs about navigating full-fledged adulthood and embracing being uncool. And when it comes to that particular kind of song, "Bedtime" is about as perfect as it gets. If this isn't the single best song in the entire Mike Patton songbook, it's at least in the top five.  

I've always found the question of quantity vs. quality to be a false dilemma fallacy. It's absolutely possible to have quantity and quality. Vista Blue is nearing 80 releases at this point, and nothing the band has ever put out has felt sub-par or phoned-in. I shouldn't be surprised that I love a new release from what is probably my favorite band, but I do have to admit that Yesterday has turned out to be far more than what I expected it to be. This is not just a band re-doing a bunch of old songs "just because." Clearly the song selections were carefully considered. These are tunes that need to be heard if this kind of music is your cup of tea. This release works as a personal reflection for Mike, but just as importantly, it's an absolutely brilliant pop-punk EP. If you like these songs and are still unfamiliar with The Robinsons, I would recommend looking into some of the band's titles on Bandcamp like 2001's Cool Down! Got It? and the compilation album Still No Apostrophes. More new stuff from Vista Blue is coming soon! 

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Sunday, December 21, 2025

Vista Blue - Christmas at Wrigley

The other day, I was thinking that, for some reason, Christmastime hasn't felt like Christmastime this year. But perhaps I was just waiting for some Vista Blue Christmas songs. I haven't experienced a Vista Blue-less Christmas since 2015, when the band was not yet on my radar. Out today, the single "Christmas at Wrigley" is the band's 11th annual holiday release.  

"Christmas at Wrigley" sounds like the title of a future Hallmark movie, which I hope the band will take as a supreme compliment. Mike originally wrote the song back in 2013. He didn't really have a band at the time, but after hearing The Ueckers' Rocket to Wrigley album, he found himself inspired to write some baseball-themed songs. "Christmas at Wrigley" was the first of these songs that he demoed. The demo ended up on Merry Mooster Mix-Mas, a Mooster Records compilation, and later, Still No Apostrophes, a compilation album of Mike's band The Robinsons. But Mike always wanted to properly re-record the song for Vista Blue, the band he originally formed to release all the baseball songs he had started writing! So that makes this song quite significant in the history of Vista Blue. 

When real life got in the way this year and Mike and Mark didn't have time to arrange and record the new Christmas record they'd written, they decided to dust off "Christmas at Wrigley." And sure enough, this is a snappy little number in classic Vista Blue fashion. I had to chuckle at the timing of this release right in the middle of baseball hot stove season. This really is the time when baseball fans start to look ahead to next season and when optimism abounds. Although Mike kept the original lyrics, "Christmas at Wrigley" still feels current. Any Cubs fan enjoying the Christmas season in an empty ballpark might ask Santa for an outfielder who steals and hits and perhaps an upgrade at the hot corner (Alex Bregman, perhaps?) — and of course, an NL Central divisional crown. I love that Mike kept the line about bringing back Ryne Sandberg, which suddenly becomes a poignant tribute. Vista Blue might not be a baseball band or a Christmas band, but they've given us the definitive baseball Christmas song.  

Backing "Christmas at Wrigley" is a lively arrangement of Billy Beau's adorable early '60s novelty number "Santa's Coffee" (penned by Dorsey Burnette and Joe Osborn). Mike has always loved the song and wondered why more people don't talk about it. So he and Mark have given it the Vista Blue treatment in hopes that some people will give the original a listen. I think the reason I love this band is because it makes music for people like me who have an adult's intellect but a child's spirit. "Santa's Coffee" definitely fits into that category, and there's no doubt this single will delight anyone who streams Vista Blue's Christmas songs every year. And hey, it suddenly feels like Christmas in my world. Time to get that last bottle of Abita Christmas Ale in the fridge for later!

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Friday, October 24, 2025

Vista Blue - "I Didn't Get Invited to the Halloween Party"

When it comes to both music and beer, I am all about the seasonal releases! So this will not be the last review of a Halloween-themed release I write this year. I've always thought of the fall as "Vista Blue season." And even though I'm not a big horror movie guy, I consider this band's annual Halloween releases to be an indispensable tradition in my life. If Vista Blue ever ceased to exist, they might as well cancel Halloween and Christmas. The new single "I Didn't Get Invited to the Halloween Party" is an absolute winner. First of all, how insane is that cover art? That's a party you would not want to miss! I appreciate that this is both a song about Halloween and a love song. Musically, this is hitting me just where I want it. It's punky power pop with old school rock 'n' roll harmonies, and it tells a relatable story. Who wouldn't be bummed about not getting invited to the Halloween party? That's a party that even I would attend! Mike and Mark really crushed it with this track. It's another hit from a band that someday may surpass Pete Rose. Exclusive to Bandcamp, the virtual B-side is a cover of "This Is the Night" from the 1985 animated special Garfield's Halloween Adventure. What's not to love? If you stock up on candy and buy this single, you've got your own Halloween party ready to go!

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Saturday, October 18, 2025

Vista Blue - The Shift Is Dead


Mike Patton loves baseball, and he loves The Queen Is Dead by The Smiths. And because he loves doing dumb things, he decided to make a baseball-themed EP with song titles derived from The Queen Is Dead. And so now we have The Shift Is Dead, the latest EP from Vista Blue. I approve of this message. It's hard to deny that The Queen Is Dead is one of the greatest albums ever made. The likelihood that Morrissey would be appalled by this release is icing on the cake. Indeed, the shift is dead. I just wish they'd killed it before it ended Ryan Howard's career. 

In addition to the title track, the songs on this EP include "Frankly, Mr. Manfred," "Never Had No Salary Cap Ever," "Bigmouth Strikes Out Again," "The Boy With the Motorola Patch on His Side," and "Some Bats Are Bigger Than Others." As far as I'm concerned, this is just about the most hilarious thing ever. The specific group of people who are super-fans of both The Smiths and American baseball (and would thus get the jokes) is a very exclusive club, but that's what makes this so fun. Even Mick Fletcher, who probably doesn't get all the jokes, is raving about this release from across the pond. There may literally be over 100,000 new songs getting released every day in this modern musical landscape, but these are the first six in history to make baseball puns out of Smiths song titles. As far as doing dumb things goes, this is genius-level stuff from Mike and Mark. 

The title track is vintage Vista Blue: a pop-punk song leaning a little more pop than punk. I love that this song is about baseball but not really about baseball. It has a charm that brings to mind the Mr. T. Experience. More in a straight-forward pop-punk vein, "Frankly, Mr. Manfred" finds Mike appealing to The Commissioner of Baseball for a redress of his grievances concerning the "automatic runner" rule in extra innings. I think we can all agree that this is the stupidest rule in the history of professional sports, and I certainly hope Mr. Manfred is listening. Clocking in at just 16 seconds, "Never Had No Salary Cap Ever" makes in a point in a hurry by hilariously repeating the refrain "Hey Dodgers! Defer This!" I would expect nothing less from the band that gave us the classic song "Hey, Bruce Springsteen, What's a Speedball?" "Bigmouth Strikes Out Again" has a great title to live up to and does not disappoint. Chicago Cubs fans are sure to enjoy the pure pop goodness of "The Boy With the Motorola Patch on His Side." "Some Bats Are Bigger Than Others" is a reminder of why I love this band so much. At a time when so many pop-punk bands are writing songs for 40-year-olds, Vista Blue excels at writing songs for eight-year-olds. When it comes to mixing fun, education, and simplicity, this song is about as good as it gets. I will never tire of Vista Blue writing songs about baseball bats. 

Even if I make a minor deduction for not including a song referencing the greatest Smiths song of all-time, "There Is a Light That Never Goes Out," I have to give The Shift Is Dead an "A." It possesses the same degree of musical variety that has made Vista Blue's Clear Eyes, Full Hearts one of my favorite albums of the year. And as I prepare to hate-watch the Dodgers in the World Series, the timing of this release could not be any better. This is a delightful little EP for fans of Vista Blue, The Smiths, baseball, and possibly all three. Now excuse me while I go cry in my Festbier over the realization that Kyle Schwarber may have played his last game as a Philadelphia Phillie. 

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Friday, September 26, 2025

Vista Blue - "Sister Golden Hair"


As someone who loves pop-punk and is secretly obsessed with '70s soft rock, I am part of the target audience for Vista Blue's latest single. I may, in fact, be the entire target audience. Both these songs are covers of AM gold standards. "Sister Golden Hair" was a chart-topper for America in 1975 (and is on my Mt. Rushmore of soft rock songs). "For All We Know" was a #3 smash for The Carpenters in 1971 and prior to that a Grammy-winning track on the Lovers and Other Strangers movie soundtrack. The band has gone very minimalist with the liner notes, so I have no idea what exactly inspired this project. But what's not to love here? These are classic silky-smooth pop songs treated in vintage Vista Blue style. Mark did a terrific job with the arrangements, and Mike adds his undeniable vocal charm. Those backing vocals are like butter! If you understand that all great pop-punk songs must fundamentally be great pop songs, you'll get why this single is such a treat. This being Vista Blue's first release in nearly six months might not seem like a big deal. But by this band's standards, it kind of is. Even with the punchier delivery, these songs exude a warm, autumnal breeze. This is definitely a single for me to listen to while I, clad in a light sweatshirt, saunter through the leaf-covered streets pondering a weekend full of pecan ale, ginger snap cookies, chili in the slow cooker, and college football on TV. A fall without new Vista Blue music would have been a nightmarish scenario worthy of a Rankin/Bass production, but now we no longer have to consider such a fate. And yes, they totally nailed the slide guitar part on "Sister Golden Hair"!

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Friday, April 04, 2025

Vista Blue - Clear Eyes, Full Hearts


"Every man will lose a battle at some point, it's true/
But if he doesn't lose himself, then he can make it through"

Vista Blue is certainly one of the most prolific bands in the indie/punk universe, but it very rarely releases full-length albums. So when we do get a long-playing release from Vista Blue, that counts as a special occasion. In the case of new album Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, that occasion is the band's tenth anniversary. Indeed it was ten years ago tomorrow that VB released Good Eye, its debut EP. Since then, the band has amassed a catalog that I would rate as impressive as any in the modern-day pop-punk world. Rodney Bingenheimer (the Grady Hunt of underground music) has championed the band on his radio show, and I'm not sure I'd even be doing this blog anymore if I weren't able to look forward to reviewing these guys 5.8 times per year. 

As you may have deduced from the title, Clear Eyes, Full Hearts is inspired by the acclaimed American television program Friday Night Lights (specifically the show's first season). The fact that Vista Blue wrote a full album about a TV show adapted from a movie adapted from one of the greatest non-fiction books ever written is very much on-brand. The band's last album, Stay Gold, was an homage to the novel (and movie) The Outsiders. Creating your own art about someone else's art is a very cool thing in my book. If someone asked me why I like Vista Blue so much, I'd probably say it's because they're pop culture geeks just like I am. If you're a fan of this band and have never seen Friday Night Lights, that should in no way discourage you from buying Clear Eyes, Full Hearts. Just be warned that it will make want to watch the show, so be prepared to make some time for a binge. 

What I love about Vista Blue is that you never know what you're going to get even though you always know what you're going to get. The band never strays too far from its signature style of pop-punk steeped in power pop and indie pop influences, but it always offsets its fastballs with plenty of curves and change-ups (I acknowledge that mixing my sports metaphors will get me two minutes in the penalty box). Over the course of a full-length album especially, it becomes clear what a wonderfully talented (and in my estimation, criminally underrated) songwriter Mike is. The band comes out swinging with "Can't Lose," which references the inspirational words of Coach Taylor but could just as easily be applied to our own lives. Songs like "She Doesn't Wanna Be Your Rally Girl," "Everybody Loves Football," and "Alamo Freeze" find Vista Blue running plays that have been proven to work time and time again. Elsewhere, the playbook opens up with the aggressive, minimalist punk of "Texas Forever" and "Grady Hunt's List," the quasi-instrumental rally anthem "Go, Panthers!", and the anthemic power pop of "State." And of course there's a VB-style arrangement of "Devil Town" to wrap it all up. 

While it thankfully lacks the lofty pretensions of a rock opera, Clear Eyes, Full Hearts definitely captures the spirit of the television series that inspired it. Whether you aspire to go to State or just need a little motivation to get through your day, this album has something to offer you. I can't listen to lyrics like "Some people wrote us off as easy to eliminate/But clear eyes and full hearts are things that they just can't evaluate" and not think that they also apply to Vista Blue on the occasion of its tenth anniversary. It would be goofy for me, in reference to a band I've reviewed 53 times, to say this album was better than I thought it would be. But it's certainly one of the best things Vista Blue has ever put out. I would highly recommend cranking it loudly in the car as you head out to grab some milkshakes or catch Crucifictorious's next gig. Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose! 

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Saturday, March 22, 2025

Vista Blue - "Clearing the Benches"


As it traditionally does, Vista Blue has released baseball-themed music to commemorate the beginning of baseball season. This year, that required some early preparation since Major League Baseball chose to start its 2025 regular season nine days before the actual start of the regular season. But Vista Blue was on it, and "Clearing the Benches" is another A+ pop-punk baseball release. 

While classifying Vista Blue as a baseball band would be no more accurate than classifying it as a holiday band or a movie band, I must say it never feels right for baseball season to commence without Vista Blue having had the first word. So by the time the Cubs took the field in Japan against the best team money can buy on Tuesday, "Clearing the Benches" had been released into the world, and I was emotionally ready for the first pitch to be thrown. The title track is a tribute to one of baseball's greatest traditions: dramatic, furious brawls in which no one actually fights. A couple of errant pitches cause tempers to flare. The umpire issues a warning. Someone charges the mound. The benches clear. The bullpens eventually do as well. But who's gonna throw a punch when having two working hands is integral to your livelihood? It's far better to just talk a little smack or go have a chuckle with your old college teammate. Vista Blue has accompanied the release of "Clearing the Benches" with an official music video so you can witness some perfectly family-friendly brawl footage as you listen to the song. And of course I love that the chorus is a callback to an iconic Ramones lyric. On the virtual B-side, "See You Later, Billy Ripken Card" is pretty much the ultimate pop-punk baseball song. If you remember the infamous Fleer Billy Ripken error card, then you know exactly which Queers song is being referenced here and why this song is an absolute work of genius. A ode to profanity this wholesome could only have come from the same guys who gave us "I Didn't Say Fudge" b/w "Notafinga" a couple year ago. For those of you who still own that particular card, you could probably fetch $150 for it. That could buy you 16 dozen eggs these days! 

It can't be easy to produce top-quality baseball songs every year (especially if you're not a baseball band), but Vista Blue has again delivered in the clutch. I'd be a total f**** face if I kept "Clearing the Benches" off my Opening Day playlist.

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Friday, March 07, 2025

Vista Blue - "She Doesn't Wanna Be Your Rally Girl"


A new album from Vista Blue based on the first season of the acclaimed television series based on the popular motion picture based on the iconic Buzz Bissinger book Friday Night Lights is absolutely something I want and need in my life. Clear Eyes, Full Hearts will release on April 5th — the tenth anniversary of Vista Blue's very first release, Good Eye. There's something wonderfully poetic about a group that is often dismissed as a "baseball band" commemorating a decade of its existence with a full album of football-themed songs. In advance of the album, the band has made the track "She Doesn't Wanna Be Your Rally Girl" available for you listening pleasure. In typical Vista Blue fashion, this track is such an exhilarating and infectious slice of pop-punk that it absolutely won't matter if you've never seen Friday Night Lights. While I have no problem liking dozens of pop-punk bands who essentially write the same song over and over for years and years, I must admit that Vista Blue's lyrical originality completely delights me. Who else in this universe would think of making this album? It's just a super-fun idea. Vista Blue, well-known to turn to sports or popular culture for musical inspiration, will be drawing from both on this album. Given how inclined I am to geek out over a great number of things, it's no surprise that Vista Blue is one of my favorite bands. I get it if you wish these guys wrote more love songs. But if you write about what you love, isn't every song a love song? Now when are we getting a song about Abita AndyGator?

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Tuesday, December 31, 2024

Vista Blue - "Next Christmas"


I'm a big fan of symmetry, and apparently Vista Blue is as well. In 2024, Vista Blue has done something very cool: release a song on both the first and last day of the year. That's right: Vista Blue will go down in music history for bookending 2024! Has any band ever done this before? The back half of the bookend, "Next Christmas," is not exactly a Christmas release. Then again, it's not exactly not a Christmas release. The A-side is more of a post-Christmas song. There's a funny story behind its creation. Mike's family had watched the "Last Christmas" documentary the other day. Afterwards, they switched to the radio and heard "This Christmas." Mike's kids took this as a sign that he had to write a song about next Christmas, and so here we are! The song is about resolving to do all the things next Christmas that you didn't manage to do this Christmas. I can relate, especially since I've spent the past two-and-a-half weeks fighting an ear infection. I have to admit to feeling inadequate when I watch those Hallmark movies and see how those folks go all-out for Christmas. At least I've been drinking my hot cocoa daily! "Next Christmas" finds Vista Blue at its punkiest —  blazing through this toe-tapping number about holiday regret and ambitious redemption in just a few ticks over a minute. Consider this song a long-term New Year's resolution. You can bet that when I cue up my Christmas 2025 playlist next Thanksgiving night, "Next Christmas" will be one of the first tracks I play. It will be my Christmastime "Eye of the Tiger" — my pump-up music for being super-festive next Christmas! 

But wait! There's more! Since "Next Christmas" is a New Year's Eve release, the B-side is a New Year's song — with a twist! "(It's Not the Year) It's You" is classic VB to the core. Hilariously, it looks at a situation where you might blame all your troubles on a bad year instead of taking personal accountability for all that went wrong. Think of this as a more light-hearted and family friendly version of the Sex Pistols' "Problems." Listening to these lyrics, most of us will think of someone in particular this song applies to! Mike and Mark went down to the wire to get this single released for New Year's Eve, and I really appreciate that. The record books will show that my first and last posts of 2024 were Vista Blue reviews!

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Thursday, December 19, 2024

Ralphie's Red Ryders - "Black Bart"


America's favorite A Christmas Story themed pop-punk band is back with another digital single worthy of a major award. If you thought Ralphie's Red Ryders might soon run out of song ideas after five singles and a 12-song album, I'm here to assure you that they're just getting started! "Black Bart" is the catchiest and bounciest Christmas pop-punk song you could ever hope to hear. What's the point of owning a Red Ryder Carbine-Action 200-Shot Range Model Air Rifle if you can't pick off creeping marauders with murderous precision? This is a little bit of a different sound for RRR, who have expanded on their usual Vista Blue mimicry with some nods to early Lookout! Records punk (quite a feat for three kids from late '30s Indiana). Flick could have used some of that hot bass when his tongue was stuck to that flagpole! Did Ralphie track those vocals in the front seat of The Old Man's '37 Oldsmobile? This is another super fun release from a super fun band, and Conor's cover art is amazing! Blast this next week when you're pre-gaming for the marathon!

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Wednesday, December 18, 2024

Vista Blue - We Don't Know, Margo


I had to admit that I was starting to get a little worried. We were getting well into December, and there was still no Christmas music from Vista Blue. A Christmas without Christmas music from Vista Blue would not have felt like Christmas. I wondered if Heat Miser was up to something. But all is well in the holiday universe — yesterday Vista Blue gifted the world its tenth annual Christmas release in ten years as a band. I feel honored to have now written about nine of them. 

You might have glanced at the EP title We Don't Know, Margo and asked yourself, "Did Vista Blue actually write a sequel to their beloved seasonal smash hit 'Why Is the Carpet All Wet, Todd?'?" The answer is yes they did! And this is one of those rare sequel songs that's even better than the original. Nowhere will you hear a more perfect 99 seconds of National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation–themed pop-punk. Man, this thing is an earworm! The more idiotic this song seems, the greater it becomes. Bookending this gem are an ultra-peppy cover of Connie Francis's 1962 hit "I'm Going To Be Warm This Winter" and the Rusty Spell–penned "When the Christmas Tree is All Aglow." The latter is one of those downer Christmas songs that isn't really a downer because it's so musically alluring. Credit goes to Spell for writing an amazing song and to the band for achieving a tricky blend of upbeat and melancholy. As delighted and amused as I am by "I Don't Know, Margo," I would still say that "When the Christmas Tree is All Aglow" is the real "hit" of the EP. If I didn't know any better, I might have believed this was some forgotten standard from decades ago. "I'm Going To Be Warm This Winter" supports my theory that many of the best Christmas songs are actually winter songs which should not be taken out of anyone's rotation until pitchers and catchers report to spring training. Hats off to the band for realizing that this tune would work brilliantly as a pop-punk song! 

Vista Blue's tenth Christmas release is one of its best yet. Now it feels like Christmas. Bring on the Christmas ale and NFL games on Netflix! 

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Thursday, October 24, 2024

Vista Blue - "There's a New 2nd Grade Album Coming Out Tomorrow"


Vista Blue, in addition to making wonderful music, is now in the business of issuing public service announcements! "There's a New 2nd Grade Album Coming Out Tomorrow" is not just the name of their new single — it's also a significant fact that you may not have been aware of. There is indeed a new album from 2nd Grade releasing tomorrow. This has to be the first time in music history that a band has released a song about another band's new album on the eve of its release. What Vista Blue has given us here is a love letter to 2nd Grade and also a celebration of the love of music. I think all of us have memories of being a kid and rushing to the record store to buy the new album from a favorite band on the day it came out. "There's a New 2nd Grade Album Coming Out Tomorrow" taps into the joy of that experience and is also kind of a love song. If you've ever wondered why I'm such a huge fan of Vista Blue, well it's not just that the band's pop-punk-leaning towards power pop style is my cup of tea (or rather my pint of beer). It's also that this band makes music that is fundamentally joyful and is so frequently trying new things simply because they're fun. I'm always going to be championing bands that want to put more joy and fun into the universe. On the virtual B-side, "Can't Have Us Without U" is a song Mike co-wrote with Rusty Spell. Mike has literally been trying to write this song for 20 years. Now that, my friends, is persistence! This is a reminder that writing songs is way harder than most people realize. Thankfully, Mike never gave up on completing this song, which combines two of my favorite things: romance and language arts. If you've been yearning for a sweet love song that's also a lesson on spelling rules, today is your day! This is like Sesame Street meets the Mr. T. Experience, and I am here for it!  

There's something incredibly hilarious about Vista Blue releasing a song today about an album that's coming out tomorrow. Today is literally the only day in history in which "There's a New 2nd Grade Album Coming Out Tomorrow" will be a factually accurate statement. I suppose that's why I'm writing a review of it at 5:30 in the morning. Sadly, there's no song on the new 2nd Grade album called "Vista Blue Released a New Single Yesterday," but I do highly recommend fresh hits like "Triple Bypass in B-Flat" and "I Wanna Be on Your Mind." If you're thinking this is the time of year when Vista Blue should be releasing holiday songs, I can guarantee that Mike does consider tomorrow a holiday. The more you know! 

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Friday, October 18, 2024

Vista Blue - They Came Back


It's somewhat odd that while I'm generally not much of a horror fan, every year I really look forward to Vista Blue's annual horror-themed EP. It's never fully the fall in my world until Vista Blue releases more songs about horror flicks and scary stuff. And if it's not fully fall, I can't start drinking my Christmas ales. They Came Back is this year's VB fall seasonal, and it does not disappoint. On this EP, the band gives us songs about a haunted house, a haunted graveyard, and the 1971 movie Let's Scare Jessica to Death (which actually sounds like a scary movie I might enjoy). All of this leads up to the highlight of the EP — a freaking amazing cover of Ministry's "Every Day Is Halloween." Never in a million years could I have imagined this song arranged in Vista Blue's signature style and actually working. But holy cow, Mike and Mark totally pulled it off! If Old Style Dry is ever rebooted, Vista Blue has to do the commercial. Recently I joked about Mike earning his goth card, and now he has gone and stamped the thing! He'll be wearing capes by the year's end! As always, the songs are so tuneful and well-crafted that they could really be about anything. But I must admit that "Haunted House on My Street" makes me laugh out loud. It truly is the most wonderful time of the year.

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Friday, September 13, 2024

Vista Blue - Vista Blue Are the Pop Punk Preservation Society


"Dr. Frank said it, and it's our manifesto: 'The Ramones are gods; we're the only ones who know.'"

It has been a minute since I last reviewed Vista Blue. And I mean literally a minute. Of course Vista Blue Are the Pop Punk Preservation Society gets the award for the cleverest title for a single in 2024. As a huge Kinks fan and a huge pop-punk fan, I was bound to give this record a big thumbs-up before I even heard it. As you would expect, this single finds VB leaning into the punkier side of its sound. And while there's an obvious sense of humor to "The Pop Punk Preservation Society," the song is anything but snarky. It's essentially a tribute to all the bands and individuals who've kept pop-punk alive and going strong for decades out of sheer love for the music — in spite of all the criticism and negativity and self-righteous dismissiveness that often gets heaped upon this genre. I love how this song allows Mike to poke a little fun at himself and other songwriters in this community but to do so in a way that ultimately celebrates this style of music that so many of us love without irony. Fittingly, this a ten out of ten pop-punk tune that any Ramonescore executive would gladly download to their personal listening device. On the virtual B-side, "Nobody Told Me It Was Bandcamp Friday" is a sequel to VB's 2023 smash "Bandcamp Friday Is Here." Like any good sequel, it introduces an unforeseen and somewhat dramatic plot complication. Perhaps you yourself lived this very nightmare last week. Wouldn't it be hilarious if the band someday pressed "Bandcamp Friday Is Here," "Bandcamp Friday the 13th," and "Nobody Told Me It Was Bandcamp Friday" onto a 7-inch record that was not available digitally? Somebody make that happen! 


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Vista Blue - Be Good


One thing I've found that I really enjoy in music lately is when bands I like do covers records. Now I wouldn't necessarily want to hear a band I've never heard before doing a covers record. But if I like a band and am deeply familiar with its catalog, I think it's kind of neat to sometimes hear it recording other bands' material. It gives me insight into influences I might never have suspected. If I like a songwriter, my inquiring mind wants to know what songwriters that songwriter likes. I always enjoy hearing a favorite band putting its signature on songs I'm familiar with, and sometimes these covers introduce me to songs I wasn't familiar with. I've listened to The Speedways' Borrowed and Blue, MOM's Pulls a Fast One, and Vista Blue's Runaway countless times and love those titles as much as those bands' original music. While I eagerly wait for sequels from The Speedways and MOM, I am thrilled by the arrival of another covers EP from Vista Blue. 

As was the case with Runaway, Be Good does not go the obvious route in its track selection. As a big fan of what you might call "1980s British classic alternative rock for kids who wore black," I was excited to hear Vista Blue tackle The Cure's "In Between Days" (one of the greatest pop songs ever written) and the Lightning Seeds' "Pure." The latter retains the spirit of the original but adds some of the band's special sauce. The former gets fully transformed into a punky pop song that you could perhaps mistake for a VB original if you've been living in a cave for 40 years. If you're even going to attempt a song as untouchable as "In Between Days," you've got to make it your own. Mission accomplished, and now Mike has earned his goth card. Speaking of untouchable, Waxahatchee's "Be Good" is one of the greatest songs of this millennium, and VB wisely adapts it to its own style rather than trying to top it. If you've ever thought that "Be Good" would work really well as a pop-punk song, you will be pleased to hear what Vista Blue has done with it. I must confess knowing nothing about the band Lemon Demon*, but "As Your Father I Expressly Forbid It" made me laugh out loud more than a couple times. This is another delightful release from Vista Blue and a reminder that great bands aren't great bands just because of the songwriting. Singing, musicianship, production, and arrangement matter too, and no Vista Blue fan will be disappointed by Be Good.

*It turns out Lemon Demon is Mike's daughter's favorite band, and he recorded the song as a surprise for her. Ladies and gentlemen, meet the coolest dad in America! 

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