The Matches – Decomposer – Review

thematches200The Matches

Decomposer (Epitaph)
by Scott Hefflon

You either think these guys are funny, or you hate them and wonder how anyone can listen to such shit. People probably thought the same thing about Devo and The Cure, like what’s the big deal, they’re weird, who cares? But there’s something charmingly dorky about these guys, kinda like OK GO. Only these guys are cuter. Like that’s hard. The Matches aren’t as “oh god no” as guilty pleasures like Hellogoodbye or those Casio-loving bands, but they aren’t punk in the traditional sense. Not that punk is really supposed to be traditional, cuz that’s kinda unpunk’n’shit.

I’m not a teenybopper, but “What Katie Said” makes me cluck. Like Nerf Herder’s “Sorry” or a cover of “Jessie’s Girl” by the Bouncing Souls in silly mode, the song’ll have you “la la la”ing along by the end, fight it though you may. Too bad Epitaph doesn’t promote like they used to, cuz this is the kinda thing that could bridge the gap between Motion City Soundtrack dorks and older punks who can’t find anything worth listening to, much less get excited about.
(www.epitaph.com)