The Husbians

Unpopular Flips (Mutiny)
by Austin Nash

April 16th welcomed the release of The Husbians Unpopular Flips, and it is very welcome in my dingy apartment. This band hails from the South, which, for some reason, didn’t spur me into visions of good punk rock. I am always surprised. The album opens with a track that is wrongly perceived as “deep” because it involves a brother, a sister, and a father. Initial thoughts tend to be on the disgusting side, but Rick Randall of The Husbians says it’s just about his dad picking him and his sister up on Wednesdays. This is just a good example of fiction. Suspension of disbelief. Being able to create a mood and effect out of an idea, true or not. This is one of the many strengths of The Husbians’ new release. They are committed to every minute of the production. The disc is loud and clear, the songs thick and powerful, and the melodies tasteful and attributable to an Elvis Costello influence. Other influences include various “old punk” stars, Jethro Tull, King Crimson and the Replacements. The Husbians new disc lists 12 tracks, but plays through 17 on my CD player. Go figure. The album could have done without the five unlisted noise tracks, as they distract from an otherwise spectacular product – especially the recording of a needle rubbing on the label at the center of an old vinyl record. It runs for two minutes and 52 seconds and really blows. It doesn’t fake me out into thinking my record is over, and just forces me to get up and skip the track every time. I counted out 17 rounds of “Who Stole The Cookie From The Cookie Jar?” during this time. God save me. If you like power pop punk (my alliteration for the month), Unpopular Flips is a guaranteed tally in the “yes” column.