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The Presidents of the United States of America

The Presidents of the United States of America
1995
Columbia

Review by: CallingLondon
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Published on April 17th 2002

Alright, I know I'm going to get a lot of shit for writing a review of this album and submitting it to a punk website, but 7 years after obtaining this album, only about a week ago, after a friend of mine, and I decided to throw it in the CD player just kicks, did my friend and I realize how great, and how very punk this album is. I've decided that this album, as far as I know, has slipped by most people as one of the most underappreciated albums of the past 10 years.

The first track, Kitty, is a great opening track. The opening guitar has a nice indie punk feel to it. The lyrical style is established with great lyrics, disguised as dumb. It's about a guy who wants to touch the kitty as his feet. The rhythm is fairly mid tempo at first, with a driving chorus. Mid way, you start hearing signs of an explosion, when it hits you. The song turns into an all-out rocker, whitch a fast driving rhythm, and then it stops. This song is an experience in itself.

The next stand out track was a single called Lump. It's another simple punky yet quirky rocker with a catchy melody and driving rhythm.

Track 5, going by the name of Boll Weevil, sounds like it could be on a Beck album as one of his rap songs. It's got that "whiteboy who has genuine soul" feel to it, with a funky guitar and bass line and jazzy swinging beat.

Next up is Peaches. When I first heard this song I thought it was a joke. "What the fuck kind of song is about peaches???" I thought (kinda like Aerosmith's Pink). I'm still not sure if it was written as a joke, but i feel like there's more to it than meets the eye. This song also has the quirky punk sound that you hear throughout this album with a fuzzy grungy guitar line.

Track 8, called We are Not Gonna Make It (Twisted Sister reference?), is the all out punk rocker on the album. It's a fast, driving song, with a fast beat, a great bass line, a grungy dissonant guitar line, and it's completed with lyrics conveying self doubt. This one is my favorite song on the album, partly because the beginning shows them messing up the first time, and then starting over. It's a nice way of showing imperfection.

The last stand out track is actually nice little blue grass tune with a real phish feel to it. Towards the end of the song it gains a nice "square dance announcer" groove to it. The song also mentions that kitty at his foot which seems to be a running theme throughout the album.

The rest of the songs, while not the stand out tracks, are in no way filler. Every song on here is important to the album, and all have great aspects to them. I just mentioned what I thought were the best ones.

Overall, I compare this album to the Ramones and Led Zeppelin. The Ramones side to it are the simple punky beats and fast guitars. The music and lyrics are great, and show real genius, yet it's all disguised as dumb. The music also has an outlandish side to it which I compare to Led Zeppelin. In track 2, Feather Pluckin, you even hear the singer scream like Robert Plant. You also notice a certain quirky quality that I compare to Beck throughout the album, but I don't think Beck even had any material released at the time, so I'm not sure if he's really an influence. Maybe he did. As you listen to the album, you'll think to yourself that you've heard a lot of it before, but that just goes to show that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, because the outcome of all those influences is something so unique, I don't think I've ever heard another band quite like this one. It's because of this that I call this a true punk record.

I've been told that there's actually only 5 strings in the whole band. Apparently the guitar only has 3 strings on it, and the bass only has 2 strings. Odd. You should also know that this is the same group whose cover of Cleveland Rocks is the current Drew Carey theme song.

All in all, I think this is a great record that not enough people took notice of. All throughout the song, you hear great surprises in the music that make it great. This isn't a perfect record however. One fault I've found is that the last song is a little low energy for a closer. I think it would have been better as a high energy song.

If you haven't heard this CD, I suggest you check it out. If you own this CD but haven't listened to it in years, put it on. You'll be surprised either way.

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Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, June 17, 2006 at 1:23 PM (EDT)
My Score:

Oh, my world. It is ok

Posted by CallingLondon on 2005-10-04 23:18:58
My Score:

your mom is ill-researched to no end.

and for not doing any research, i sure did nail the beck influence right on the head, didn't i?

Posted by burntorangepeel on 2004-09-30 02:50:39
My Score:

This review is ill-researched to no end. First of all, this album was released two years after Beck broke big with "Loser," which was featured on his major-label debut "Mellow Gold." Chris Ballew (of the Presidents) was the touring bassist for the tour supporting Mellow Gold, and was part of Beck's band for Lollapalooza. They had met somewhere between 92-93, and soon, Chris (playing banjo) appeared with Beck on KCRW's Morning Becomes Ecletic. (I have a bootleg of this show --- Chris sounds so young...It's really neat to see two unknowns who seperately became popular, at least for a little while.)

Chris and Beck have also recorded an EP together, under the name "Casper and Mollusk." I met Chris in Tennessee last year, and he said he had (at the time) just given a demo to the Dust Brothers (who are mutual friends with Beck and Chris), trying to convince Beck to collaborate again. Who knows if this'll see the light of day.

The Presidents have a new album, "Love Everybody," released in August of 2004. 2001's "Freaked Out and Small" is equally amazing but has been largely overlooked. Check 'em out.

DeR.

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, March 5, 2004 at 9:00 AM (EST)
My Score:

No need to apologize for posting a review for this album. This album was comic relief during a period when music was all about being miserable. This album is pure fun.

Posted by _911 on 2002-04-23 20:34:21
My Score:

one of the first albums i ever got way back in grade 6.. this album and offsprings smash i use to listen to all the time.. ahh the memories..

Posted by CallingLondon on 2002-04-23 17:09:30
My Score:

they got back together. read the second post. i didn't know either.

Posted by Anonymous on Monday, April 22, 2002 at 6:10 PM (EDT)
My Score:

One of the greatest bands of the past 10 years. Too bad they broke up, nobody will ever compare to them.

Posted by Geetarchick on 2002-04-21 20:22:08
My Score:

Oh man, that album rocks! Its kinda funny that after all these years there's a review on it here, but oh well. Who cares if its "punk" or not? I mean, there are kids who call Dashboard punk and they don't normally get ripped for that. Well, sometimes they do. Ok, bad example, but thats not necessarily the point. I would personally consider some of their stuff punkish, but not the whole album. Oh and I liked this one better than II. :)

Posted by fish on 2002-04-21 16:31:15
My Score:

a very interesting record that you can't help singing along to. especially "kitty"

Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, April 21, 2002 at 3:03 PM (EDT)
My Score:

The presedint sof the untied stats of ameriksa r not punk!!!

Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, April 21, 2002 at 9:28 AM (EDT)
My Score:

let's face it, pusa are the shit.

didn't they release a new album recently?

and there was me thinking they'd split.

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, April 19, 2002 at 6:49 PM (EDT)
My Score:

Easilly one of the best records of the 90's.

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, April 19, 2002 at 2:01 PM (EDT)
My Score:

this album does fucking rule and i have not ever relegated it from my c.d. collection. i also have the single... and to be blunt, peaches is partly about masturbation... or even more bluntly, fucking a peach while thinking about a woman, trying to get that feeling of soft pink.

and who says american pie is original??!!

also, did anyone ever get the bonus c.d. with the live tracks on? it was pretty cool.

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, April 19, 2002 at 12:51 AM (EDT)
My Score:

remember the video for "Peaches"?

Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, April 18, 2002 at 10:59 PM (EDT)
My Score:

this review made me bust open the draw full of lost ancient cds that i dont listen to anymore. i blew the dust off the old cover, and put the cd in the player, kicked back.

feather plunkin was an old favourite, and i think it still is, the sight of animals rockin forces a smile upon me.

i knew about the guitar with 3 strings and bass with only 2, but i also thought the drummer only had bass, snare and one cymbol aswell?
daaahhh..

Posted by Bryne on 2002-04-18 20:34:34
My Score:

This is a good CD, but comparing the Presidents to Zeppelin and Ramones? I still have the "Peaches" single, it's an orange cassette tape. Hell yeah.

Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, April 18, 2002 at 5:26 PM (EDT)
My Score:

punk fuckin rawk

Posted by eyeball_kid on 2002-04-18 14:33:26
My Score:

This album is soooo good. This is pop-punk-rock of the highest quality. I can still listen to it all day and never get bored. Actually, I just noticed the other day that 'Kitty' has cat-style purring (not that I can think of any other style) from about the second verse onwards. You hear something new every time! That's the mark of a great album I think.Also: the singer Chris Ballew is buddies with Beck, Subset is great but the album will never be released and Another good band with a two string guitar is Morphine.Thankyou!

Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, April 18, 2002 at 2:30 PM (EDT)
My Score:

I remember back when these guys were big and they asked them about having only a few strings on their instruments. They said something to the effect of "we wanted to prove that you need much to write good songs." something like that. kinda like, we can rock your ass with half the strings, beat that.

Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, April 18, 2002 at 1:18 PM (EDT)
My Score:

album.

Posted by harvey on 2002-04-18 13:16:29
My Score:

One of the coolest, funnest records ever produced, by some of the biggest squares in history. Very cool.

Posted by callinglondon on 2002-04-18 13:15:18
My Score:

it's not really the same song. it's the same melody and the same chorus, but the rest of the lyrics are completely different.

Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, April 18, 2002 at 1:03 PM (EDT)
My Score:

Kick out the Jams is a cover of a 70's METAL SONG????

Thats a cover of the MC5, ya moron. Well I assume it is, cuz I have never heard this disc. But if it is indeed the MC5 song, it is not a 70's metal song. Good Christ. Learn your punk history.

Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, April 18, 2002 at 10:37 AM (EDT)
My Score:

I never knew that 2string bass/3 string guitar thing till i read this. all of the pictures, drawings as well as photos in the liner notes, show a 2 string bass, and 3 string guitar. CRAZY!

Kick Out the Jams on this album is a cover of an old 70's metal song, PUSA's version is way better.

Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, April 18, 2002 at 9:15 AM (EDT)
My Score:

This album is good.... comparing PUSA to The Ramones and Led Zeppelin is NOT good...

WEZ

Posted by callinglondon on 2002-04-18 00:27:10
My Score:

yeah, sorry about that mistake about Cleveland Rocks. After i submitted it, i figured out it was a cover. Maybe Aubin can change that. It's a cool cover anyway. Glad to see people like this album. this is my first review so i'm sorry if it's not perfect.

Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, April 17, 2002 at 11:55 PM (EDT)
My Score:

POTUSA did not right "cleveland rocks"..They covered it.

Posted by maverick on 2002-04-17 23:13:28
My Score:

I like this CD a lot, but II is soooo much better.

And the PUSA/Sir Mix-a-Lot collaboration was called Subset, but I don't think they ever released anything anyways. PUSA got back together last year and put out a new album called "Freaked Out and Small." Check it out.

-Scott

Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, April 17, 2002 at 11:03 PM (EDT)
My Score:

Oooh, am I first. This is an amazing Cd I am glad to see it get some recognition. Did you ever hear any of their more recent shit with sir mix-a-lot?