Suburban Teenage Wasteland Blues

Review by P. Freako

Would you please welcome, from West Hills, California, skate punkers Strung Out! Suburban Teenage Wasteland Blues is the new release from this quintet. Yah, that's right, a five-piece punk band -- ya got a problem with that, trio boy? The record is filled with power chords and fast paced, ravenous guitars accompanied by manic drums, speedy bass, and ranting vocals. Donovan Bailey watch out: these guys are fast. From start to finish, this is a 100 meter punk sprint and a &@#%*!! killer record.

This is the kind of album where the whole thing stands out. Chances are you aren't going to necessarily pick out a favourite song right away. No song is distinctly unique from the rest, so it will either be the mood you're in, or a particular line that grabs you by the genitals the harshest, that will become your choice of the moment. That's cool, because punk music should be for the moment. The line "I don't know and I don't care, I'll do anything for you..." from "Never Good Enough" stood out for me today, but that'll probably change tomorrow.

The majority of tunes begin with power guitars before breaking into vocals. Building momentum as they go, the songs find their flow, giving us that adrenalin rush no cup of coffee could ever provide. I mean, does a cup of coffee make you feel like challenging the mainstream? Nope! The tight musicianship and the decipherable lyrics put this record above many others in this era of punk resurgence. You get the sense that Strung Out have drawn influences from many different bands, and in fact, on the liner note "thank-you's," there's a mountain of influences and friends, including Canadians Trigger Happy and Chixdiggit.

You'll love to blast this CD crazy loud and just give Starbucks the big middle finger salute as you head out the door to live your life. My advice, get Strung Out... you know what I mean!