Saturday, June 9, 2012

Summer Punk Re-Up!

(image borrowed from here)


Well by now radio stations are pumping out slick dance-pop nominees for the "song of the summer" (The Offspring being the most egregious entry of 2012) but for me the literal-minded pop-punk underground offers the real sounds of the summer. The songs here are from all over the last three decades and focus on the classical definition of pop-punk: 'bands who really like the Ramones', as opposed to the mainstream definition of; 'bands who really like Blink 182' (NTTAWWT). This coulda been a box set, so if you feel slighted your time to contribute to volume two is coming up soon.

The Apers
- "Almost Summer"
Screeching Weasel loving Dutch boys who really know how much a pop songs needs to be both catchy and an expression of painful longing.


The Undertones - "Here Comes the Summer"
Northern Ireland's pop-punk masters shoulda had a monster hit with this one.

Ronnie Mayor - "Can't Wait Till the Summer Comes"
Late seventies UK power-pop is a totally part of the pop-punk continuum.

The Parasites - "First Day of Summer"
One of the best songs from probably the finest album of Dave Parasite's lengthy career.

Ramones - "Rockaway Beach"
You knew THE defining band of pop-punk had to make the list, even if they don't have a song with summer in the title.

The Fastbacks - "In the Summer"
Kurt Bloch remains one of of the most neglected song-writers of his generation and this song is one of my favourites of his.

Surfin' Lungs/Shock Treatment - "Tell 'Em I'm Surfin'"
UK surf legends recorded the vocals while Spanish punk band Shock Treatment recorded the instruments for this little E.P. from 1997.

Hüsker Dü
- "Celebrated Summer"
A band who influenced almost every subsequent pop-punk band, without ever playing by any of the genres ultra-stringent rules.

The Barracudas - "Summer Fun"
I love every nano-second of this song by these original UK Beach-punks.

The Kung Fu Monkeys - "Summer School" (almost)
From the twee side of pop-punk comes this fun New York band who've been around forever.

The Ataris
- "The Boys of Summer"
Okay just to piss a few people off, one song from the post-Blink school of pop-punk*, showing off one of the tricks that unites the two schools - amping up cheesy pop hits.
*though one could well argue the band had paid their dues earlier on.


Chixdiggit - "Brunette Summer"
It's Chixdiggt, nothing more need be said.

The Queers
- "The Sun Always Shines Around You"
Lookout Records called their Queers 'Best Of' compilation, Summer Hits becuase that summery feeling pervades a lot of thier best songs.

Funbug
- "Summer Girl" (almost)
"She thinks she's Californian but she comes from Birmingham" - great pop-punk always manages to mask recording limitations with speed, cleverness and hooks.

Ben Weasel
- "Summer's Always Gone Too Soon" (alternate Weasel summer song)
Following the debacle at SxSW, it kinda looks like Ben's going through an identity crisis as he tries to decide where his belligerent persona ends and Mr. Ben Foster the man begins. Whatever the result of his troubles, let's hope Ben re-emerges because he's one of the best lyricists this genre has ever produced.

So tell us what you make of the songs on the list and what songs you think might make it on to a Volume Two. (If you wanna put the whole thing on your music-listening device, visit that section for further assiatnce)

12 comments:

  1. So tell us what you make of the songs on the list and what songs you think might make it on to a Volume Two.
    https://rapidshare.com/files/3975791756/SmPnk_1.rar

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    1. Can't get the link working. Is Rapidshare toast now? Can it be reposted elsewhere as it is looking like summer out. ;-)

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  2. great compilation mate.love the undertones and barracudas numbers.im off to spain soon for 3 weeks so this is going straight on my eyepodd.
    how about Beach Blanket bongout - JFA,surfin anarchy - D.I,La Bamba - The Plugz are just 3 that spring to mind for vol.2.thanks again mate!

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  3. ok la bamba by the plugz isnt strictly a summer song but it has the energy of a great one that makes it a must for any pool,beach related summer shindig.i think.cheers!

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    1. Thanks for the DI reminder - that's gonna be track one!

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  4. Fleshtones' "Let's See the Sun."

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  5. great comp. i got it the first time around. a couple of songs off the top of my head , the new christs - you'll never catch my wave , buffalo tom - summer , radio birdman - aloha steve and danno and fenix tx - surf song

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    1. Gotta check out the BT song and that RB song is a natural!

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  6. Great set list.

    As a teacher, it has become tradition that I always listen to the Barracuda's "Summmer Fun" on my drive home from the last day of school. Classic song.

    I would also add "Drinking By The Pool" by the Dogmatics as a summer song.

    And even though it doesn't mention summer, or sun explicitly- I always find that the Hard-Ons "Love Is A Battlefield of Wounded Hearts" screams sunny weather to me.

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  7. Ah I teach as well and blasting The Parasites "First Dy of Summer" as I squeal out of the parking lot on June 30th was the entire inspiration of this post.

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  8. link is dead, please upload again, thank you'
    Torch

    ReplyDelete

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