Teen Idols – Pucker Up! – Review

Teen Idols

Pucker Up! (Honest Don’s)
by Scott Hefflon

Teen Idols‘ self-titled debut made my top ten list a couple years back, and it’s still in heavy rotation in my CD player. That’s quite a feat for a guy who listens to hundreds of CDs each month. Pucker Up! picks up where the self-titled left off, and it’s only a matter of time ’til I have this one memorized as well. Clever turns of phrase, comfortable yet not run-of-the-mill guitar riffs (there’s a fine line here, and Teen Idols stay on the side of “Hey, that’s a good simple riff that I haven’t heard a trillion times”), and melodies that take the simple rhythms into new areas, thus making each song singular and enjoyable. Similar in a way to Riverdales – simple, chugging Ramonesesque guitar work that, no matter how many times you hear it, or something similar, it’s the strong vocal melody on top that makes almost identical songs sound as if the three chords were written specifically for this song – Teen Idols layer male/female harmonies in a way that’s unlike the glut of “whoa-whoa” punkpop. Evidently, it’s the Nashville bluegrass/rockabilly influence that makes the harmonies distinct, but when it’s used in the context of rampaging NOFXian speed punk, it’s not like you’ll get Teen Idols confused with Garth Brooks any time soon.

All this critical analysis means squat. All that matters is “does it rock?” and “does it make you feel good?” And that it does, on both accounts. Pucker Up! is 14 songs (plus hidden tracks) that usually don’t even hit the two minute mark (cuz they don’t have to), filled with head-bobbing, steering-wheel-slapping good times. Funny, on-the-mark lyrics, a nonstop wall of guitar, strong, memorable melodies you’ll know after a couple spins of the disc, and harmonies so full and lush you’ll wonder why so many bands suck when they attempt this kind of thing. And the bonus track(s) is a 20 second barroom brawl of pure, snarling punk, then assorted vocal-only outtakes of the band layering harmonies in the studio. Some might think them a cappella snippets, but really all they are are the songs with the music tracks turned off. It makes you appreciate the harmonies that much more, and it’s a cool inside look at what’s really in each song. It’s fun to hear them screw up, giggle, and keep going, knowing in the big mix, no one’ll ever notice. A friend came in during the bonus track and thought it was some new subgenre – barbershop punk or something. And while the band probably included it just to cross the 30 minute mark on the CD, hell, maybe they’ve stumbled onto something here…
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