Last Exit Music, 15 Aug 2022
The Hawaiians are back with more end-of-summer shenanigans.
The Hawaiians are the consummate “summer” band. They put together all sorts of songs about surfing, the beach, and girls with just the right “oohs” and “ahhs”. Weird this, as they are from Germany, not California (or even, I dunno, Portugal or Spain). But some of my favorite stuff like this of late has come from decidedly “unsummery”/”unbeachy”/”unsurfy” places (see: Sweden’s Randells). Not to be deterred, Pop Punk VIP picks up where the fun 2020 album Invading The Summer left off, only with better songs.
For those who love The Queers Don’t Back Down or Andreas Manges & The Veterans self-titled album, opener “Across the Sea” is gonna sound awfully right. There’s the catchy vocal melody, the tasteful keys, and Beach Boys-style harmonies adding sunshine to everything. Actually, lots of songs on here could be described similarly. I could be convinced that the “ooh-way-ooh’s” backing up “You and the Sun” were actual Beach Boys samples, they’re that good. And the wonderful vocal melody and lead organ sounds on “I Can’t Find No Sleep” help the song quickly become a standout. It’s one of the hookier earworms I’ve heard in a while. Later, “I Am Hunting UFOs” and “Don’t Go With Him” have just a-okay verses, but I’d be pretty neutral on each if it wasn’t for the gloriously addictive choruses. Both just go next level, and I realize that the “just a-okay” verses get tempered as a set-up. Nicely played, Hawaiians. Nicely played. “Pizza Rock’n Roll” could’ve been an early Beach Boys-“GTO” style song and is dumb fun. And then there’s the ridiculously titled “Surfer’s Rodeo”. It’s got the best Ramones-like “ooma mow mow ba ba ooma mow mow” vocals on here. Once it gets going, the surfy guitars and bass carry the load while an organ keeps busy with a supporting melody. And the vocals, both lead and backing, are pretty pitch perfect. I also think the drums on this one are my favorite – lots of bounce, some double taps on the snare – ya know, the good stuff.
Once in a while, they go after something more blistering and angsty. “My Baby’s Got a Primate Yeti Brain” is a ridiculous song that is catchy enough and ends up fun because of the melody and lyrics. “Pop Punk VIP” is even faster, but not as memorable for me. And “What’s Normal for the Spider” rips along just right with “whoa-oh’s” that could weirdly come from a Bad Religion song. Also of note, this song features Richie Ramone. These songs are a good time, but they aren’t the heart of Pop Punk VIP. Instead, to me they act as a palette-cleanser on the album, resetting things before going back into the gorgeous summertime pop punk stuff that mostly sets the tone on the album. Really, they might be the most important songs on the album, keeping things from getting too saccharine.
Those wanting angst and aggression are not gonna find much on Pop Punk VIP. And if you need something close to a 50/50 split between the attitude-ridden breakneck speed songs and the sunshine harmonizing stuff, you will wanna try again with something else. But for those who want a “feel good hit of the summer”, this should do the trick.
Favorite song: “Surfer’s Rodeo”
Favorite moment: even considering the source, the exacting Beach Boys approximation on “Pizza Rock’n Roll” caught me off guard and got me smiling
Favorite whatever else: when the chorus goes off on “Don’t Go With Him” I’d be tempted to let it go on forever
ryan is a reviewer and news editor for TGEFM. He’s very secretive, he might be an alien.
