Presidents of the United States of America – These Are The Good Times People

Fugitive Recordings / EMI 2008

Rating: 4/10

Just one of many bands to come out of Seattle in the heyday of grunge, Presidents of the United States of America stood out from their contemporaries with their self-deprecating humor (a oft-needed relief from the seriousness of bands like Pearl Jam and Soundgarden), vocalist Chris Ballew’s sing-speak style, and their unusual longevity.

These Are the Good Times People doesn’t stray too far from their formula, with the record starting off with “Mixed Up S.O.B.”  and “Ladybug.” The first one is about, surprisingly, a son of a bitch, and the second ranges from ladybugs to centipedes to beetles partying it up.

No one has ever expected POTUSA to sing about anything particularly serious, so their latest succeeds as a frothy, bouncy collection with a solid set of tunes and workmanlike, poppy playing that is catchy throughout, but also eventually reveals itself as ultimately trivial and vapid.

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