Labels: Jump Start Records
Review by: Samuel Fowler
“Crucial Dudes” Oh why have you called yourself this? An explanation
is needed. Almost no band who calls themselves something like this is
ever good. Oh well.
Despite bestowing a name upon themselves that suggests that they
prance around in flat brims and listen to Madball, Crucial Dudes are
actually another in the latest crop of Lifetime boostin’ backwards
baseball cap wearin’ pizza scrannin’ kids from NJ. I suspect you
probably have an inkling of the general musical area they hail from
going by that..
So yeah, these chaps are riding up front with Erection Kids/Chasing
Paperboy and many other bands of similar ilk, and appreciation of
Crucial Dudes will predate on entirely on whether you can still make
your way through a Blink 182 album without collapsing in a heap,
dribbling viscera from your ears. There’s really not a single iota of
musical innovation going on here, but as with bands like Man Overboard
this doesn’t really matter very much at all if it’s pulled off with
aplomb. Which is indeed the case here. Bouncing guitars, goofy songs
alluding to teen relationships and the like: all the good stuff. You
can bet your bottom dollar that the singer jumps around a lot and
pulls faces. This is for listening to at home, and hiding away when
other people are around so they don’t stumble across your shameful
secret. Oh shit, my name’s on this review”¦
This “ere doesn’t outstay its welcome either, many of the songs are
sub 2 minutes, which is a treat, and nicely bucks the trend of neo-pop
punk indulgent operatics which seem all to common. A tidy little
package. Just a shame about the name. I’m available on a very
agreeable consultancy fee should they wish to improve on that.