Crimpshrine

Duct Tape Soup (Lookout!)
by Rowan-Morrison

The recent popularity of pop punk might be great for bands on Onefoot and Fat, but what about those groups who disbanded long before people were willing to invest in the genre? Tough shit, eh? It’s too bad, because if Crimpshrine were still around, maybe we’d have more than one great album by them. Crimpshrine, along with Green Day and Operation Ivy, defined the Gilman scene in Berkeley, by writing simple songs with hooks galore. Instead of fast-driving East Coast chugging and screaming, Crimpshrine injected a good groove and an occasional melody into their pit anthems. Also, like Op Ivy’s Jessie, Jeff’s scratchy throated singing was not so gruff that his voice sounded processed or his lyrics incomprehensible. Although this is a CD re-issue of their album, it doesn’t contain some of the excellent tracks that were on their seven inches. Regardless, this release belongs in the collection of any kid who thinks that Operation Ivy and Green Day are the only great bands from the Bay Area.