The Cooties
Let’s Play House (Tooth & Nail)
by Scott Hefflon
A side project of Washington punk posterboys MxPx and upcoming talents, 90lb Wuss, which began as a teeny bop/speed punkpop just-for-fun project and grew into this 18(+bonus)-song record. Releasing “Too Late” on a T&N compilation and covering one of their own songs on MxPx’s On the Cover, The Cootees were too good to just be an occasional pet project. Combining the best and worst of both groups, The Cootees are destined to be a reference point. Jumping from God-awful sap punk (the stuff that makes prepubescent punk chicks get all woozy and the rest of us retch – I’d blame it on Milo, but his teachings were pure; the followers just can’t get it right) to rampaging sarcasm (“No Cure for Cootees” is almost on par with “Riverdales’ Stomp,” “Cretin Hop,” “The Proud, the Few, Descendents,” etc., and that speaks volumes) and everywhere in between. Personally, I enjoy the running bass lines, galloping drums, and strong vocal delivery backed up by sporadic “whoa, whoa” choruses much more than the occasional sap-dripping ballad, but that oughtta be pretty clear. Some of the vocals sound like classic snarling Weasel and/or Mark “Add Nickname Here” Atkins of Guttermouth, and that ain’t no bad shakes. Sure, there are some bum tracks that sound like leftovers from one band or the other, but with 18+ songs, you certainly get yer money’s worth.