Review: Bumsy and the Moochers – “Diet Violence”

Sell the Heart Records/ Ska Punk International – 08 September 2022

Bumsy and the Moochers is peppy, fun, and takes on current issues on their new album.

The Chicago area ska-punk scene has been kicking up great bands for some time now. One that has been representing the Windy City since 2012, Bumsy and the Moochers, have a new LP out. Now I am familiar with Bumsy’s music but I haven’t been a regular listener of their previous releases. That being said Sell the Heart and Ska Punk International has said this may be the bands best release yet and I would have to say this album sounds like a step up from any I have heard before.

As you might expect in today’s ska music, not all the lyrics are just about having fun, but dive into some deeper,e current topics. The album kicks off with “Jump the Gun”, a song all about jumping to take sides on political issues while not really knowing what the issues are. There’s a line at the end of the song about keeping your distance from reproduction rights that shows the band will take a political stand on certain issues. There is even a reference to humans being the real virus, which I would guess many could agree with to some point.

The next track on the album is “The Rat” which is lyrically less serious but musically is heavier and more complex. The boys join Caitlin on the vocals, guitars go from clean to distorted, drumming is on point, and then that solo guitar wail near the end takes this track to the top spot on the album for me.

“Not Gonna Have It” is a fun song about trying to eat healthy. There is a line about LDL and HDL that I thought was funny and a great horn solo is featured in this peppy classic ska tune. Later on, “AKT” has a little more punkish ska-punk feel to it and I think is about karma kicking someone’s ass who probably deserves it, but I’ll let karma be the judge.

I don’t know who “Cathy Ann” is, maybe Caitlin’s mother I’m guessing? Anyway, this song is dedicated to her with her Dunkin iced coffee and her distaste for public restrooms and trampolines. Some great horn parts in this one.

Now I do enjoy a nice blended margarita with salt now and then, but I’m not sure I needed another song about it.  “Hey Margarita” had good music and nice vocal delivery but the lyrics felt a little watered down to me, although I am thirsty for one now!

As I stated already Bumsy’s music was not in my regular rotation and I was pleasantly surprised with some of the tracks on this album. Not only did some of lyrics dissect serious topics, the music was tight and production is top notch. There was a nice mix of ska and ska-punk tracks to suit different listeners.

One last thing I have to mention, you can get this album on cassette tape with a three panel J-card which for some reason sounds pretty cool, even though I don’t own a cassette player anymore.