Reviewed by Kyrby Raine
The Knockarounds/The Hurt Stays
Given that I’m a huge fan of post-punk icon Siouxsie Sioux, the Knockarounds quickly won me over with “Siouxsie Is My Goth Queen,” a hilariously irreverent homage to the lady herself. The Knockarounds don’t try to ape the classic Siouxsie sound; the band’s infectious punk-pop never strays outside of its creative boundaries which, on a track about Siouxsie Sioux, makes it even more funny for its sheer audacity.
After hearing the first cut, “The Loner,” I had the Knockarounds pegged as the Second Coming of the Replacements. “The Loner” is classic Mats with its teen-angst lyrics and beer-guzzled garage riffs. The soaring chorus will remind you of early Goo Goo Dolls, who were massively influenced by the Replacements so there you go. However, the remainder of the CD reminded me of Blink-182 - but a better Blink! These tunes are more catchy and melodic than Blink’s hits. I want to especially point out “On Your Back” with its sexually twisted lyrics. There’s definitely a good reason for the parental advisory sticker so kids don’t let your parents hear this tune.
