Whipping Boy

Heartworm (Columbia)
by Joshua Brown

Sappy, pseudo-depressed pop that should have been the soundtrack to some forgotten ’80s teen movie that you sit through on a Sunday afternoon when you lack the energy to get up off the couch. Whipping Boy play ’80s pop with the distinct lack of hooks that is characteristic of ’90s bands who try their hand at ’80s pop. At their finest moments, they sound like the worst of the Cure and Simple Minds. At their worst, it’s like all the non-hits you skip over on your old Thompson Twins albums. The band photo on the insert makes me think of the people in Junior High who wore silly sunglasses, shopped at Chess King, and thought they were the shit. Is this trip really necessary?