By John Bedard

Artwork for Death In Venice Beach by The BombpopsThe Uber Rock Approved stampWhen I think of California skater punk this is what comes to mind. This is very much in the style that we were all listening to back then growing up in Orange County CA. It is the sound that every garage band on the block wanted to achieve. I was very excited to be sent this album for review as it is one that I have been looking forward to. To date, The Bombpops have not put out anything that I have not liked and when I heard their single ‘Notre Dame’ from this new album I was pretty sure this new one would be another favorite of mine. I will just come right out and say it: I was not disappointed.

Musically it is everything that you could want. It is reminiscent of bands like Teenage Bottlerocket or Bad Religion or Blink 182 with a hit of Weezer in the track ‘Radio Silence’ except with 2 female lead singers who stand out to me as some of the best in the genre. Poli van Dam and Jen Razavi perfectly complement each other’s vocal talent and trade leads wonderfully. I love how they hand off to each other from track to track and even within the tracks making the whole album sound like two friends swapping stories of the shit going on in their lives. It gives the whole experience a very personal vibe making the emotion feel very personal.

The music is also exactly what you would be looking for in the genre. That aggressive tight distortion on the guitars and a drummer that knows the value of a well-timed kick peddle never overusing it but instead really punctuating each measure tottaly selling it. I also love how the bass at times cuts through the track making you notice while sliding back into the mix at others. It is very calculated and is a sign of a bassist that really knows what he is doing. I feel like sometimes the bassist fades into the background and is overlooked. This guy won’t let you do that. He makes sure you know he is there without being over the top. All of this comes together to create a combination of talent that I would never change. These people were made to play together.

Even the little details of the genre are captured here. The tracks are short with only one being longer than three minutes – but only by a forgiveable eight seconds. In truth, I have never figured out why the short tracks are such a staple in the Cali skater punk genre, but it totally works. The tracks end exactly when intended. Sweet and condensed emotion. It is perfect.

This is what I remember growing up. Sure, it is not a band I listened to then but they capture the genre so perfectly that it triggers the same nostalgia in me as ‘Enema of the State’. Most importantly is that nostalgia is usually best left in the past as the truth is usually not as good as the memory. In this case, this is every bit as good as the memory maybe even better. This is a must-buy album. I absolutely love it.

  • ‘Death in Venice Beach’ is released on 13 March. You can get your copy HERE.

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