Last Tuesday Curbsquirrels

Item: Composition
Author: Luke Harlow

Composition

(2002)

Reviewed by Luke Harlow

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Label Dug RecordsDecapolisMay 2003

pop punk punk

Dug Records is a relatively new label run by former members of Petra and Less than Jake (there is a combination!) as well as a couple of other individuals with "music industry" experience. Last Tuesday hails from Central Pennsylvania and the Curbsquirrels are from the Cincinnati area. This is each band's first release on a label.

This split will most likely appeal to fans of popular mall punk bands like Good Charlotte, Simple Plan, New Found Glory. The themes -- girl trouble, relationship issues -- are the same, the vocals are similar, and the recording is nearly as slick. The major difference is an overt message that comes straight out of the evangelical subculture. Think Relient K or Ace Troubleshooter and you've got yourself a reasonable comparison.

The songs are relatively catchy and this offering should certainly appeal to a few kids out there that identify with any of the bands mentioned above. The main problem is that these ten songs cover absolutely no new ground. Artistically, this music is nothing exciting (which, admittedly is not much of an issue since punk bands have been re-treading the same chords for years); lyrically, one should not expect much of a challenge in any way. Sure, there are the token "Christian" themes about moving past feelings of inadequacy and teenage alienation and looking to Christ for comfort, but it seems that the audience this record is directed toward has heard these messages before. If not, there have been more than a few bands that have sounded similar and carried the same message. Several questions linger after listening to this album: Why would these bands make the same sort of bland pop punk that has been made by Christians for nearly ten years? Where is the challenge in this music? Why would anyone be interested in buying this album? What does it really offer to the listener that has never been offered before?

On the whole, it is not a poor effort. It is simply boring. The recording is fine and plenty of bands have done worse their first time out of the gate.