Vaporhead

(Paradigm)
by Barbara Restaino

“Too bad there’s nothing to say that hasn’t been said/ Nothing to do that hasn’t been done/It’s just so great to be boring.” Hey, I didn’t say it. It came straight from the song “Boring” and the mouth of Vaporhead lead singer James Lewis. The self-titled debut consists of 14 punk/pop songs and one hidden track tacked on at the end. What’s the deal with hidden tracks anyway? It’s not like we’re getting a toy surprise. Okay, I understand if it’s a really funny improvisational ditty or a funky jam that happened spontaneously during recording. Yeah, give the kids something to laugh at – a window into the band members’ personalities. But if it’s just another song, call it number 15. Anyway, their sound isn’t exactly original. In fact, it’s downright familiar – a combination of Weezer, the Descendents, Bad Religion, and even a little Offspring. But somehow, Vaporhead comes out discernible. I guess it’s the lyrical flair of lines like, “I stretch but I can’t reach the eggs/If only I had longer legs,” or “My Mom and Dad always told me I’m great so what’s the problem.” Their punk-antic humor is full of sarcasm and telling people who think they’re perfect, or are two-faced, or talk too much, or bully them around, to shut the fuck up: “I don’t know why you tell me what to do/That must be what makes you so smart/Where would I be without your brilliant point of view.”

The band has been playing their snotty, sometimes witty, whining, traditional three-chord stylings around New York City for almost two years, and the chatter is full of ravings on the energy and drive of their live show. There are a few songs that really do stand out – the poppy melody of “Jerking Knee,” the great underlying ska beat of “Come Back,” and their experiment with a kind of speed-country sound in “Tyrone.” Basically, they party. Which is refreshing in an increasingly politically correct music scene. They don’t seem to give a shit about what other people think of them. Most of their songs are about assholes and things they wouldn’t change about themselves. There is one song, “Kids,” with a message, as the chorus shouts, “The kids hey no they’re not safe in America/ The kids hey no they’re not safe yeah anywhere.” And in between, there’s talk about not wanting to be a Republican or in the military. But mostly they party. They’ve woven a snoring sound effect into the album. I guess their message is simple: “Hey, wake the fuck up.”