When Bryan Metzler first e-mailed me about these guys, I thought that he must be joking. The name Noggin Toboggan is so cool that it sounds fake, yet it stuck in my head. Before long I was telling all of my friends about "this band called Noggin Toboggan". It turns out that Noggin Toboggan really is a punk band from Atascadero, California and their demo "Wookin Po Nub" is amazing!
I was in the car with a group of friends the first time I listened to Noggin Toboggan. We were all impressed with the quality of this demo, especially because it was recorded only 6 months after Noggin was formed. The first track "Noggin Toboggan" is a catchy power-punk song that has been stuck in my head for months. The song invites the listener to come and see "a Noggin band", a band who has fun and loves God too. The most original song on the disc is "Little Kid Song", it's all about the fears that a 5 year-old faces when he's in his dark bedroom all by himself. The boy's mom tells him not to be scared because he is never alone, she says "God's by your side, never again will you have to run and hide". I think that there is truth in those words that we sometimes forget as adults. The rest of the disc tackles subjects such as forgiveness, faith and girls (what punk album would be complete with out some songs about girls?).
I must admit that lead singer's vocals constantly remind me of MxPx, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. For a band that is just starting out, Noggin Toboggan shows great maturity. I can't wait to get my hands on their new demo! Stay tuned... you'll be hearing more about these guys.
