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Skywarp!

And you thought you could escape mid-90s grunge...

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The Presidents of the United States of America are back with their first album in 4 years. "Love Everybody" is in stores 8/17.

 

Let the TSM bitch fest begin, but I'll pay little mind--they've always been one of my guilty pleasures.

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You know this is bad for them when the first time I hear about an album they are releasing TODAY, is the day it comes out.

 

They still bald?

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You know this is bad for them when the first time I hear about an album they are releasing TODAY, is the day it comes out.

 

They still bald?

Yup. Still bald.

 

They're weird like that...they release the records on their own indie label and reject big deals. The bassist and guitarist are both family men so they don't want to commit to big tours or anything, they want to be around for their kids. They just quiety release records, maybe do a teensy tiny tour then disappear for another 4 years.

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Guest The Winter Of My Discontent

The Presidents were never grunge, not ever close. But it has to be said that their radio songs were fucking annoying. The Peaches video made me laugh for 2.2 seconds. But I hear their albums were okay. I'd never buy one of course.

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Guest Agent of Oblivion

People lied to Banky.

 

They're bad, but it's a kind of bad that some people like.

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Guest The Last Free Voice

Hey, I've heard of these guys.... Didn't they do "Lump"? (The song Weird Al turned into a Forest Gump parody?)

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I thought they retired after their 1995 album then came back to do "Cleveland Rocks" for the Drew Carrey Show.

 

Didn't know they released an album 4 years ago.

That was an extremely quiet affair. It intentionally didn't make any radar bleeps and they didn't tour behind it. It could arguably be their best one, though.

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Mid 90s grunge, mid 90s dance, I want it all back.

 

Give me Soundgarden and Real McCoy. Pearl Jam and Ghosttown DJs. Alice in Chains, and HADDAFUCKINGWAY!

The good ol days when music was entertaining. Bring back Ugly Kid Joe, 2 Unlimited and Snap!

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I want Ice Cube not sucking. NATURAL BORN KILLAZ, MOTHERFUCKER!

So you hated the recent Westside Connection album? You no likey Gangsta Nation video?

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Honestly, I just want "Natural Born Killaz" to be played nonstop for three hours, New Jack-style. I love that song.

 

Also, the last Cube song I heard was from the War & Peace, Vol. 2 album, or whatever it was called (if that wasn't the title, that was the theme), which was all happy and soft.

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As was pointed out on this board, they are the ultimate guilty pleasure. Beyond the singles they were pretty good. I really, really liked 'Bath of Fire' off II for some reason.

I loved "II" and wondered why it hasn't become more adored in the PUSA fan circles.

 

Back when wrestling was the fad, my friends and I were in our late teens and we used to throw together costumes and tape funny wrestling interviews. One of my characters was a city-slicker-hatin', line-dancin' cowboy named Sigfreid Wrangler, and "Bath of Fire" was his theme.

 

...Did I just admit to that?

 

"Are you tryin' ta powerhouse Sigfreid Wrangler, rodeo clown?"

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I'll let the thread die after this, but I thought I'd post a couple reviews I liked:

 

dallasmusicguide:

 

THE PRESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA - LOVE EVERYBODY

(PUSA Music)

 

 

Everybody's favorite bald-headed minimalists return with eight strings, a handful of drums, and barrels full of love. Love Everybody is the third album from The Presidents of the United States of America: a band who wraps good-natured levity around compositions so stripped-down they make The Hives look like a bloated prog-rock band. I have no way to guarantee that the Presidents still carry on in their Amish-esque approach of removing unnecessary instrumental baggage. I'm pretty sure I heard a larger drum set and some bass guitar. Regardless, what the Presidents do retain is a stubborn commitment to making waggish and unruly rock music. Tracks “Love Everybody,” “5,500 Miles,” and “Shreds of Boa” are of similar scope and quality as the unfettered roughness of “Lump.”

 

Love Everybody is replete with the Presidents' characteristically absurd humor, erratically behaving characters, and somewhat retarded sexuality. Somewhere along their developmental years, the Presidents must have gotten their lines crossed between Freud and “Porky's.” However, The Presidents' cleverness should not be minimized. They are as quick-witted and lyrically frenetic as they were on their self-titled album. And while nothing may exceed the charmingly blatant innuendo that was "Peaches," "Jennifer's Jacket," a deft, tongue-twisting ode to a girl's winter wardrobe, will likely become a new fan favorite.

 

Presidents of the USA hold the post I think most of us want them to hold: that of alternative rock as it was known in the musical renaissance that was the early to mid 90's. Indeed, in some ways, the Presidents are an even more reliable troubadour than fellow relics Mudhoney. Although the sincere efforts of the Presidents of the USA will go mostly unappreciated, we will be sleeping calmly in castles made by DJ's and drum machines knowing full well that the Presidents are keeping a tirelessly vigilant watch over the walls outside, in case five-piece boy-bands make another attack.

 

~ Dick Sullivan

 

 

popmatters:

 

Nevermind Nevermind. This is Real Seattle Rock

 

And you thought they were going to be a footnote of the '90s. That "Lump", "Peaches", and "Mach 5" were going to be silly memories. That the Presidents were finished and over, nothing left to be played after they broke up in 1997. That that overrated band Nirvana was really what Seattle music was all about. Well, let me tell you something, Jack. You're wrong on all counts. The Presidents of the United States of America are back. And this time, they're back for good.

 

Not that they ever completely went away. In 2000, the band got back together and released Freaked Out and Small quietly, not touring behind it, and then promptly disappeared again. Lead President Chris Ballew released some discs under the name Giraffe, and also worked with the Young Fresh Fellows' Tad Hutchinson as "Chris and Tad". Guitarist Dave Dederer played around for a while with ex-Guns and Roses Duff McKagan, and drummer Jason Finn gave stick time to all sorts of local Seattle groups, including the Fastbacks. So the three have been busy, but the call to serve another presidential term must have seemed like a good idea, as here they are once again, serving up Love Everybody in August, 2004.

 

This time around, though, they're doing it their own way, on their own label, despite having had large offers on the table from the usual major labels. Plus, the band already has an unofficial hit; "Some Postman" was leaked to Seattle's KNDD and has become a local favorite. So far so good. Can PUSA reclaim old territory? Will they be able to once again rock the masses with their funny brand of minimalist pop? I say yes. I say this is exactly what the country needs to finally shift itself away from the death throes of Bubblegum, Mark II and the phony garage revival that has spat out as many cookie cutter groups as the teen fluff it's supposedly competing against.

 

But PUSA have always been in a world of their own. Certainly nothing had ever come from Seattle quite like "Lump". Of course, there have always been the Young Fresh Fellows, but not even their brand of catchy good time Seattle rock got to crack the mainstream the way PUSA have. And people did truly embrace the group, it wasn't just some novelty. With their second album, II, the band got even better, with tracks like "Volcano" and "Bath of Fire" expanding the groove while still keeping it fun.

 

Freaked Out and Small was a real change. Full six string guitars and a bit of a "normal" sound broke into the mix and made the affair a bit of a step back, but it was still a good release. However, Love Everybody brings PUSA back to their roots and finds them once again just having a great time. Indeed, that "Some Postman" truly is catchy as hell. Pop hooks galore, and a chorus that will stay in your mind forever ("Some postman is grooving to all our love letters / Some postman is going to cry"), the song feels right on target, yet fresh all at the same time.

 

If you loved PUSA already, then this album will just continue that feeling. Ballew and company are still fascinated by the same topics. Whether it be driving ("Highway Forever"; "5,500 Miles") or cute and furry little animals ("Munky River"), their old recipe for success remains the same. Why mess with it? The 14 tracks offered here are destined to become instant favorites. There's no bullshit and nothing but pure enjoyment from the title track to the closing sweetness of "Jennifer's Jacket".

 

But the group does offer up some intriguing new sounds along the way to keep things moving forward. "Drool at You" has an absolutely hot guitar riff propelling it along, the likes of which have never been heard on a PUSA album. Then there's the trashy instrumental funk of "Surf's Down", which features some groovy distorted organ rock, and of course, Dederer's own take on surf guitar. The shimmering "Zero Friction" sounds like PUSA reformatted for the '00s with a hot sheen and amped-up choruses at the intro. And "Vestina" bounces along on a great electric piano-based pop melody that out-indies all the other indie groups out there.

 

So, with all this good stuff jam packed into Love Everybody, it's hard to see this comeback as anything but a 100% success. The fan base is already built-in, and I would imagine that there are a whole slew of new ears out there thirsty for this kind of sound. That PUSA are so good at what they do and indeed have their own, patented formula of rock and roll can only add to that success. Even when you think you've heard it all, the band's music has always sounded like a fresh alternative to everything else. Yes, the band has always been about giving everyone a good time, but they've also always been serious and true to their craft. They certainly could have ended up as an amusing footnote of the '90s, but with Love Everybody it's eminently clear that they're going to be around for a good, long time. Pop music has never sounded better. It's certainly great to have these guys back when the nation truly does need a funky-ass set of leaders to give us all a bit of hope.

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