Review: Dan Vapid and the Cheats – “Escape Velocity”

Eccentric Pop Records – 5 November, 2021

The Cheats came to kick ass and chew bubblegum and they’re all out of bubblegum!

The new album by Dan Vapid and the Cheats, aka Dan Schafer (who likely needs no introduction with a resume including the likes of Screeching Weasel and The Riverdales, as well as The Mopes and The Methodones) and his backing band is a refreshing approach, though slightly unexpected at times, to the type of timeless tunes typically heard from the four piece in the past. This new release skews more power pop than punk in comparison to previous releases. It’s also slightly slower but that leaves a little more room for nuance and sometimes you gotta ease up a bit so you can stop and smell the roses.

Escape Velocity begins with “Come Find Me” and kicks things off with some dirty down picking before coming in with classic Cheats construction. It’s all power chords, palm mutes, sugary sweet backing vocals and blues laden guitar solos. Riding the toms in the chorus? I can dig it. Heavenly harmonies? All aboard! Continuing on, “Burning Questions” is mostly defined by an intermittent guitar attack behind the verses and bridge, complete with a catchy chorus. As it touches on themes of the uncertainty of escaping a sticky situation it feeds nicely into “Middle America,” a song sharing a similar sentiment, but begins to show a different side of Vapid’s songwriting as it starts to take on a slightly more americana-esque approach. As I hear the plucking of acoustic strings laid beneath distorted power chords ringing out, I start to ask myself if he’s becoming a modern day John Mellencamp? Maybe, but it won’t be the first time the sonic nature of these songs starts creeping toward cowpunk. In true storyteller style, it’s a tale of breaking out of the shackles of a small town existence. Goodbye! The good girl’s gotta get outta here but be careful, the grass is always greener…

And then she’s confronted by the downfalls of dating in the digital age on “Cyber World” where I’d like to say they’re deviating slightly from the standard formula but not by much. The lead guitar takes on the feel of a bassline, striking a single staccato string with a slightly spooky synth singing the melody while everything’s in motion. With it’s take on how technology affects the way we navigate relationships it’s a fitting to transition into “The Talk,” a track touching on the last stage of trying to salvage what’s left of a decaying partnership. It’s a slow build to a hammering mid section before ending as it began and the course of the conversation changes as the song progresses, just like the evolution of any lovers quarrel. “Guilt and Relief” is slow in the same vain, an emotional struggle “as the pendulum swings between” a two chord back and forth with a slight chime of softer strings. This was the moment I started hearing Billie Joe Armstrong, more along the lines of The Longshot or No Fun Mondays, his most recent solo record, but that’s soon to change…

“Runaway Jane” is another slight detour from the typical Cheats trajectory with it’s sound, varying more than most and even has a bit of a 90’s alt rock/grunge feel giving it somewhat of a Soul Asylum sound, continuing like a train on it’s track and running right into the tom rolls of “Robots.” As soon as the guitar riff rings out I realize it’s a lot like Green Day’s “Longview” sans masturbation references. It’s characterized by the ominous idea that we’re all gonna be replaced by robots in a post apocalyptic, Terminator type of artificially intelligent takeover. You can even hear the battle in the background during the bridge. I kept waiting for Mike Dirnt’s bassline to appear but, alas, no luck.

“Teenage Wallflower” returns to the roots rock vibe similar to Middle America with a solo that sounds like it was stolen from Angus Young. As a matter of fact, I think the guitar tones across the board were borrowed from Back In Black. The mid tempo strumming gives way to muted strings in the second verse with more ambient acoustic sounds buried in the background and a rolling lead guitar lick until the “Tears Are Falling.” It’s 3 chord power pop at its best and, to me, it’s classic Vapid, what I’ve come to expect from his songwriting, and he definitely delivers. It has all the usual suspects and it’s rounded out by the same old simple solo. It’s like chicken soup for the rock n’ roll soul. “Have I fallen out of step with cause and effect but bitter melancholy’s so profound.” Damn, I love that line.

Steering the horse back towards the country stable is “Bitter and Sour” with a touch of twang and some more subtle cowpunk qualities not unlike “Teenage Wallflower” but has a more positive appeal, life’s too short to be pissed and “I don’t wanna live my life bitter and sour anymore.” They’re content to continue slowing things even further, bouncing back down that dusty old road with “Maybe Tomorrow” sounding a little like Dave Hause singing with Social Distortion but, as the battle comes to a close, there are signs of silver linings. “Now that the war is over and the smoke finally clears,” they bring the record to its conclusion. All’s fair in love and war and “Midnight Blue” and it’s lyrics lamenting on the lingering feelings of loss and loneliness, draws the album to a quiet close. Is this Kepi Goes Country? It could be.

I applaud the experimentation on the album but at the same time appreciate that it still retains the integrity of Vapid’s usual vision. There’s still the overdriven downstrokes, standard structure, 2 and 3 part harmonies, the slight quintessential croon in Vapid’s voice. As well as ample amounts of a oohs, aahs, and woahs, all anyone could ever ask for, but steps outside the commonal comfort zone to keep things from getting stale. It’s invigorating without being too intense and would be right at home riding shotgun on a road trip or as the soundtrack to your sunny summer Sunday afternoon.