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As a pseudo-music critic it pains me to admit that I often have a tendency to over-analyze the music put before me. Sometimes music is just meant to be fun; it doesn’t have to have this higher meaning you can only discern by thumbing through the lyrics sheet. The debut LP, Repeat, by Seattle’s Wimps is just that. It’s a rock n’ roll record meant to be blasted loud through your speakers. If you approach it just right, you’re going to pogo about your house like your teenage self.
“Slept In Late” kicks Repeat off in a great fashion, getting your energy pumping from the very get-go. Rachel Ratner’s vocals have this natural brattiness, but in the endearing manner that most of us who love punk rock will easily enjoy. Guitars are turned up to just the right levels, careful not to appear over-bearing in front of the drum kit. That same no-frills attitude comes in again with “Grump,” a song that immediately begins with exuberant shouting. But, before the group dallies in repetition, they decide to switch things up with careful guitar work instead. It’s a slight move away from the opening track, albeit not too far.
Upon repeated listens with Wimps my ears seem to gravitate towards “Hello Frustration.” I love the sound of the guitar here, which almost has a bit of a stutter to it. The call-and-response lyrics of “let’s grow old and be boring” are perfectly delivered, allowing the song to stand-out just a bit from its predecessors. From here it only gets better as you blast off into “UFO.” There’s a bit of a swing to the overall feel of this tune, which will have you tapping your toes as you rock along. And sure, the lyrics might be a bit juvenile, but when did we start taking our rock n’ roll so seriously?
Repeat has a lot of songs that don’t necessarily have lofty lyrical aspirations, but I don’t remember “Judy Was a Punk” being the most poetic piece ever. Perhaps there’s even a bit of tongue-in-cheek nerdiness, especially when you listen to songs like “Stop Having Fun.” I mean, come on, the opening line is “I got a long face/that’s because I’m a horse.” You’re allowed to appreciate music just on its own basis, and that’s just what I feel this debut from Wimps provides. You’re not going browse through the insert looking for deeper meaning in lyrical craftsmanship, but you’re going to have a hell of a time turning this one up really loud. Throughout Repeat, the vocals are shouted in joy, and the guitars bring in a distorted garage rock mess. It’s rock n’ roll music, and I love the way Wimps pull it off.
[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Stop-Having-Fun.mp3]
Download:Wimps – Stop Having Fun [MP3]
Next Friday, you’re going to want to make sure you’ve ordered a copy of Do the Duvet, the debut LP from Oakland’s Naked Roommate. You see, this is the dance record for these anxious pandemic/political times; it’s clever and hypnotic, yet antagonistic and evasive; you’ll move the whole way through. Take, for instance, “Repeat,” the latest single. For 45 seconds, passive listeners will hear just another electro-pop groove. Sure, that’s omni-present in the beat-making, but wait for Amber Sermeno’s vocals to join up; they come off playful and fun, but there’s this sort of flare of disdain as she’s shouting “look good/smell good.” As the voice fades for a mid-track interlude, you get these little guitar lines dancing in between the beats, teasing the reentry of the vocals. It bursts and blooms, eventually fading away as “repeat” hangs in the distance atop carefully constructed pop notes to draw the tune to a close. If you grab the album on September 4th from Trouble in Mind/Upset the Rhythm, you’ll be ready to shake it, or, as might be preferred, lay on the floor and let the refined subtleties of the band’s craft lift your soul.
