Lookout! Freakout

(Lookout!)
by Scott Hefflon

I’ve taken shit for a couple swipes I’ve taken at Lookout!, saying that post-Screeching Weasel & The Queers, they were past their prime, releasing mostly records that kids in their area got gushy over, but most of us couldn’t give two shits about. Big country (ahem), lotta different tastes, and aside from being an asshole, I’m also East Coast. I don’t skateboard, I see the ocean in Corona commercials far more than when I’m out rollerblading past junkie messiahs and well-oiled wonders or whatever, and I’m too goddamn angry to support a bunch of buzzcut happy dweebs just cuz they’re in the scene, man…

That grumbled, Lookout! Freakout has some really bright, fresh bands that remind me of borrowing my parent’s car to go to the lake, to the amusement park (season pass – yeah, I was a dork), to the movies, whatever. Basically, the music of your life, ya know? I’d like to pass a bit of the credit on to Weasel’s Panic Button label for contributing some fine bands (and a dog, namely Common Rider), but Lookout!’s hit the mark on their own with some of their newer bands.

They still cling to Citizen Fish, The Mr. T Experience and his god-awful offspring, Dr. Frank, but I heard someone once mention they kinda liked MTX. Whatever. And bands like The Smugglers, Squirtgun, and Pansy Division have kinda run their course for me, but I guess these are unreleased bonus tracks buried at the end of this 24-song, 66-minute sampler, so I’ll just remember to shut it off after a while… The goodies? Well, allow me: The Donnas, The Groovie Ghoulies, Ann Beretta, The Lillingtons, American Steel, Enemy You, Moral Crux, and The Mopes. Also appearing are The Avengers, Jackie Papers, Cleveland Bound Death Sentence, Black Cat Music, Screeching Weasel, and The Queers.
(www.lookoutrecords.com)