OUTLOUD! Records, 22 Feb 2022
Lesser Creatures Issue 2 is a fun punk rock romp.
For those who haven't heard Lesser Creatures (which features Nick Spoon on guitar and vocals, Zac Buzzkill of The Radio Buzzkills on bass, and Ruben Patino on drums), they play around with a Ramones template that throws in occasional metal and pop punk leads, sometimes an almost hardcore energy, pace, and aggression, and vocals that are ravaged and snotty and can be reminiscent of B.A. from Sloppy Seconds at times. The song topics range from existential dread, nihilism, and pessimism to soccer, love, and being a stay-at-home dad. And they're almost always delivered with a buzzing melodic hook here or a stop-and-go rhythmic catch there.
So let's lead with Issue 2's lead-off song “Just A Vacation”. It has a killer catchy lead-guitar and a melodic chainsaw guitar riff that pairs up well with Spoon's throaty growl. The chorus in particular sticks. Another, “Nobody's Keeping Score”, messes with guitars that alternately chug and blast and a melodic bass that wiggles into the deepest recesses of my brain while the vocals sneer about conspiracies, ignorance, and uplift (somehow). Others like “Bill Collectors” and “You Just Got Here” have a real deal pop punk bounce to them that might give me cavities. And those two aren't the only times where Lesser Creatures flirts with something almost saccharine. “Leslie and Thomas”, written for two friends, adorns the buzzing pop punk with an infectious synth and lovely sentiments that cross into funniness anytime it seems to need it. Maybe my favorite on here, “Talk About It”, is a sweet, nearly (but not quite) innocent, love song about making things right. The catchy vocals mimic the guitar riffs on the chorus while the guitars drop out completely on the verses, letting the bass do the heavy lifting, and it all ends up one of the catchier numbers on Issue 2.
That all said, the catchy, melodic, and ravage-voiced pop punk does have a counterpoint on the album. In fact, some of my favorite moments wallow in sinister angst and aggression similar to the song “Fake” from the split with Grim Deeds (one of my faves from that record). “I Hope You Die” is a vile monster that plays with a violent guitar riff and absolutely pulverizing drums that don't let up. The “I hope you fucking die” chorus sounds both mean and like they mean it. Plus, Spoon throws in guitar shreds that sound ripped from the claws of a thrash metal maven. The fantastically titled “Lesser Creatures Rock N Roll” opens with some bending guitars that oddly remind me of guitars from Jon Wayne's Texas Funeral album before the song tears it all up with a relentless pounding fury, melodic bass accents, and vile vocals choking out the title over and over. It's good, cathartic stuff. Elsewhere, “Getting Worse” is similarly adrenalized. The drums go a million miles a minute while the serrated guitar cuts deep. Spoon spits out the vocals like a rabid misanthrope and the whole thing is over and out in thirty-eight seconds. This one gives way to “Pour Another”, which has a melodic bass and a decent singalong chorus and a bunch more thrust. As one of the “hard” songs, it comes back-to-back right after “Getting Worse” and isn't as depraved and nasty as its predecessor, but it's still a pretty good romp.
Issue 2 is a good time. It's got lots of fun buzzing pop punk, but every few songs the destructive forces come through to burn it all down. Those nice changes of pace and tone keep me engaged throughout. If you're looking for something new or experimental, look elsewhere. But if you're in the game for infectious new punk rock songs similar to the bands mentioned in the opening paragraph, this will do the trick.
Favorite song: “Talk About It”
Favorite moment: Spoon's vocals on “Lesser Creatures Rock N Roll” slay me
Favorite whatever else: the lyrics of “Nobody's Keeping Score” fascinate me, with the alternatingly depressed and uplifting vibe I get hearing them
ryan is a reviewer and news editor for TGEFM. He's very secretive, he might be an alien.