Monday 14 September 2009

Review - Itchy Poopzkid - Dead Serious

Itchy Poopzkid - Dead Serious

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8 out of 10

Many will find the idea of a German pop-punk band laughable, after all, the Germans are all so serious aren’t they? Well, yes and no, Itchy Poopzkid are serious (Dead Serious in fact) about their energetic, fun and above all typically un-German brand of pop-punk. There’s more than a hint of Zebrahead in their sound, not least with the two vocalists alternating traditional singing with a more rap influenced delivery.

Opener ’Never Be The Same’ sets the bar high for the rest of the album with slow/fast tempo changes and a bouncy chorus that’s sure to go down a storm when they tour with Spunge in September. The early momentum is maintained with the adrenaline fuelled ’Another Song The DJs Hate’. ’Pretty Me’ recalls early Good Charlotte with it’s faux-rap and slick chorus and is the highlight of the album

It’s not all vigour and bounce, often the tempo is slowed, with mixed results. ’Learn To Drown’ proves to be unexpectedly rowdy after a poor start and ’As Long As I Have Chords’ is a triumphant sprawling joy. The jaunty, piano enhanced ’Crazy Eyes’ has an infuriating chorus and closer ’Waiting For The Waves’ proves a bit of a let down after what has preceded it.

At 14 tracks, Dead Serious is perhaps 2 or 3 songs too long and save for the fantastic ’Like It’ and ’Stuck In A Daze’ there’s a little too much filler in the second half. But these are minor gripes because when Itchy Poopzkid get it right, the results are pretty spectacular and suggest that they could build up a cult following on this side of the channel.

Listen: www.myspace.com/itchypoopzkid

Tracklist:
1. Never Be The Same (The Sane)
2. Another Song The DJs Hate
3. Learn To Drown
4. Last Goodbye
5. Pretty Me
6. The Living
7. Like It
8. Say Hello
9. The Lottery
10. Stuck In A Daze
11. Crazy Eyes
12. Drogenfrau
13. As Long As I Got Chords
14. Waiting For the Waves

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