Teenage Bottlerocket Bring Back Late 90’s Pop Punk Sound Again with Sick Sesh! Album
4.3 out of 5 stars
The new album from Teenage Bottlerocket (entitled Sick Sesh!) is a sound very reminiscent of the late 90’s version of Screeching Weasel. In fact, I felt almost like I was listening to the album Television City Dream while listening to this album. That’s a good thing for the most part though.
The first song off the album is a song called “Semi Truck” about being run after by a semi-truck on the road. It reminds me a lot of the movie Maximum Overdrive, but I don’t think the song is meant to imply that the trucks are coming to life like the Stephen King movie/book.
The next two songs are pop punk through and through. “Ghost Story” actually sounds a bit like an Alkaline Trio song - probably just from the dark lyrics on top of a poppy melody and chord progression. Though, it is only "dark" in the concept. It feels a lot more jokey about haunting the woman left behind after the subject dies accidentally "in the woods."
“Never Sing Along” is a true pop punk classic though. This song can stand the test of time, in my opinion, because it’s almost guaranteed to be one of their more popular live songs (ironically?).
If you have never heard of either Screeching Weasel or Alkaline Trio, then Teenage Bottlerocket is a great band to be introduced to bands like them by. While I can’t say the sound is exactly the same or anything, the influences are so clear that I would be shocked to death if TBR didn’t listen to either of those bands heavily.
“Strung Out On Stress” is a great fast-paced song that harkens a little of The Offspring mixed with a bit of Pennywise.
As you can see, if you have a like for pop punk, then you probably won’t dislike Teenage Bottlerocket by any means.
If you don’t like pop punk, then your life may be joyless. (Kidding?)
I would say that the best song on the album might actually be the last song on the album though.
The song “Moving On” brings me back to a plethora of different pop punk songs without it sounding overtly like any of them.
I could listen to this song over and over (and probably will) for the rest of the year.
If you want a small sample of their new album, check out the video for the song “Ghost Story” right here: