Low-Brow, High Octane - Cars Can Be Blue
12 August, 2013
OK, kids. I’m living in Athens now. I’ve been staggering around the sprawling campus, standing at bus stops on the vaguest hope that the bus will arrive on time, sitting in standstill traffic, and rushing to parking lots to avoid exorbitant fees. Perhaps you, as a seasoned city dweller, are too familiar with these irritations – but, as a lifelong denizen of a small town, I’m new to it all, and frankly I’m freaking out.
Cars Can Be Blue also reside in Athens. They’ve probably been through all this before, and many other crazy complications besides – but, instead of breaking down and wigging out (as I’ve done), they smack those issues in the face with their inexhaustible, punky pop. Or, in some cases, poppy punk. (They run both ways.) And, rather than sounding bitter or jaded, this latest LP, Trace The Tension, is honestly just ridiculously fun. With irresistible hooks, spiky riffs, and silly, punchy lyrics, CCBB manage to craft a thoroughly enjoyable album – that is, as long as you’re willing to tolerate their irrepressibly cheery, super-charged attitude.
And, let’s face it: even the most violent of Becky’s songs are undeniably hilarious. In “I Am A Slut”, Becky delivers lines like “Fuck me in the ass / Until I’m shitting blood” and “you can bust a nut / bust it in my butt” with such cheeky wit that one can’t help but chuckle. (By the way, if any of that scandalized you, you’d best stop reading right now. This album’s not for you.) Even more funny (and disturbing) is the skipping tune of “Off You Go”, in which Becky wishes the listener to commit suicide: “Do it with bullets or do it with knives / Take yourself out and improve all our lives”. And let’s not forget that great chorus “Put down that gun / my honey bun” on “Put Down That Gun”, naturally.
CCBB do deal with angsty social situations (like “Banging My Head” and “On & On”) with sledgehammer precision, bashing out two-minute tunes that are instantly gratifying in their sudden but subtly controlled aggression. “Battleship”, for instance, rallies listeners on with the most excellent “Oh! Oh! Oh!” refrain and the delightful thudding drum break. But CCBB don’t just play the indie pop-punk schitck. “Title Track” doesn’t even need lyrics to rock the house; you’ll wish its blistering fury could last a few minutes more. Similarly, “You Should Be Begging” doesn’t need Becky, either – this rockin’ belter has attitude. And “Monster” has all the cool, creepy swagger of the Cramps. Most surprising, however, is “Don’t Tell Me” – all the snarl and cynicism is swept away, and we hear a charming, a cappella tune that should have you singing merrily along in a few bars. That is, until the very furious end!
So. Should you buy this Trace the Tension LP? Well, that depends. If you’re too enmeshed in all the carefully apathetic, precisely groomed, and predictably ethereal acts bustling for your likes on Facebook, then probably not. However, if you’re lacking some light-hearted fun and beefy riffs in your library, do give CCBB a spin. This album’s out on September 24th, via HHBTM (the same bloke who brought you Tunabunny).
Cars Can Be Blue also reside in Athens. They’ve probably been through all this before, and many other crazy complications besides – but, instead of breaking down and wigging out (as I’ve done), they smack those issues in the face with their inexhaustible, punky pop. Or, in some cases, poppy punk. (They run both ways.) And, rather than sounding bitter or jaded, this latest LP, Trace The Tension, is honestly just ridiculously fun. With irresistible hooks, spiky riffs, and silly, punchy lyrics, CCBB manage to craft a thoroughly enjoyable album – that is, as long as you’re willing to tolerate their irrepressibly cheery, super-charged attitude.
And, let’s face it: even the most violent of Becky’s songs are undeniably hilarious. In “I Am A Slut”, Becky delivers lines like “Fuck me in the ass / Until I’m shitting blood” and “you can bust a nut / bust it in my butt” with such cheeky wit that one can’t help but chuckle. (By the way, if any of that scandalized you, you’d best stop reading right now. This album’s not for you.) Even more funny (and disturbing) is the skipping tune of “Off You Go”, in which Becky wishes the listener to commit suicide: “Do it with bullets or do it with knives / Take yourself out and improve all our lives”. And let’s not forget that great chorus “Put down that gun / my honey bun” on “Put Down That Gun”, naturally.
CCBB do deal with angsty social situations (like “Banging My Head” and “On & On”) with sledgehammer precision, bashing out two-minute tunes that are instantly gratifying in their sudden but subtly controlled aggression. “Battleship”, for instance, rallies listeners on with the most excellent “Oh! Oh! Oh!” refrain and the delightful thudding drum break. But CCBB don’t just play the indie pop-punk schitck. “Title Track” doesn’t even need lyrics to rock the house; you’ll wish its blistering fury could last a few minutes more. Similarly, “You Should Be Begging” doesn’t need Becky, either – this rockin’ belter has attitude. And “Monster” has all the cool, creepy swagger of the Cramps. Most surprising, however, is “Don’t Tell Me” – all the snarl and cynicism is swept away, and we hear a charming, a cappella tune that should have you singing merrily along in a few bars. That is, until the very furious end!
So. Should you buy this Trace the Tension LP? Well, that depends. If you’re too enmeshed in all the carefully apathetic, precisely groomed, and predictably ethereal acts bustling for your likes on Facebook, then probably not. However, if you’re lacking some light-hearted fun and beefy riffs in your library, do give CCBB a spin. This album’s out on September 24th, via HHBTM (the same bloke who brought you Tunabunny).