Russell HughesGuttermouth – Got It Made (Rise Records)
Genre: Punk Rock
When a band releases their first material in 10 years, you might expect there to be something new, something eye-catching or even a cheap trick somewhere down the line to get the punters really interested.
But not Guttermouth, not one of the founding fathers of the modern pop punk scene and certainly not from Mark Adkins’ four piece.
Despite only having one of the original members of the lineup, the Orange County natives have found a way to stick true to the principles that launched the band all the way back in 1988.
A break of a week in between legs of a tour in Australia was all Guttermouth needed to start to form rough ideas into demos, and then demos into the finished article back in the United States.
From those beginnings came Got It Made, a punk rock album that anyone who follows the genre needs to own immediately.
The EP is fast, furious and would be an absolute treat to listen to live. The band haven’t lost any humour from the years spent on the road, and tackle the usual subjects with original wit and a frantic pace.
The Point opens up the record with characteristic fire and tackles the thorny issues of relationship trouble, while the well titled Freckles The Pony goes down the same route lyrically.
If there is any shortcoming on Got It Made, it’s the seemingly repetitive nature of the songs and the subjects – but that’s only likely to happen if you end up taking it more seriously than intended.
RUSHONROCK RATED: 9/10 Got It Made… Nearly