If punk rock outlived its usefulness in 1978, post-punk effectively unplugged in 1984, and hardcore punk expired when Minor Threat released grave maker “Salad Days” in 1985 (although it was recorded in 1983), how is it possible that Pissed Jeans, who identify themselves as a hardcore band, manage to sound fresh and menacing in 2007? Certainly no easy task, but Philadelphia-by-way-of-Allentown, Pennsylvania’s Pissed Jeans’ second full-length is an innovative contemporary punk rock record, one of the best the genre has heard in a long time.
In essence, like the best punk music, Pissed Jeans have churned out a great piece of cultural critique. As white collar workers, the Jeans have an inside glimpse into the murky side of the “straight world” and they are at their finest when they are exposing the evil therein. Hope for Men’s opener, the scorching, feedback-laden “People Person” takes to task ass kissing co-workers, and the psychotic “Scrapbooking” is so deliciously creepy you may not want to listen to it alone.
Sure, there are the usual punk musical clichés, like the rollicking, “Fantasy World” and Black Flag–inspired, “I’ve Still Got You (Ice Cream),” but these songs are powerful and mercifully redeemed by humor — yes, it is about the ice cream — something sorely lacking in hardcore punk’s early days.
Pissed Jeans are a fine pastiche of their influences: punk, post-punk and hardcore, plus they have managed to right some of the wrongs of their predecessors. They strike a very reasonable compromise between the irritating and, face it, contrived sensitivity of post-hardcore’s Rites of Spring and the inexcusable sexist machismo found in the likes of Jesus Lizard. Yes, there is indeed hope for these men.
Copyrights
Anne Johnson. Pissed Jeans. Copyright 2007 Venus Zine.
