Suburban & Coke

It's My Party And I'll Get High If I Want To (2012)

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Everyone's favorite party band Suburban and Coke bring you their first packet of tasty pop-punk with the aptly titled It's My Party And I'll Get High If I Want To. Featuring members of hall of fame punks from Perth, Western Australia (from bands including Chilling Winston, Grim Fandango and Burning Fiction), the band puts the DUI in DIY with this free 13-track record (available at their bandcamp page).

Recorded in one day at the famed "Warren" and mixed and mastered by local legend Harry Decline, the sound is surprisingly well compiled while still maintaining the DIY/we have no money sound. This self-released record is already putting it's hand up for a bunch of industry awards and is my tip for a WAMI in 2012.

Kicking off with the seven-second ode to Slayer "Are You Into 80's Thrash/Death Metal?," you get a good idea what the record is about. It's about having fun, lots of fun, fun fun fun! The record goes on to detail the sad loss of pop-punk girls that have been converted to the dark side and no longer listen to Catch-22 but are now fans of Parkway Drive.

"Single Single" is one of the stand outs on the album, emphasizing the frustration that a young guy can go through when all he really wants is someone to hold him tight at night and whisper sweet nothings into his ear. When singer Burgs breaks into "I've asked out almost every single single girl I know and they all said nooooo," you just feel like he means it.

Mid-record on "Dead To Jack 5" the band shows their roots with a touch of the Ramones and a whole lot of fun and really all they wanna know is "if you guys wanna hang out?" "Kidz In Da Park' is all about partying in the park with some kids (who'd have thought?) and features party gang vocals just the way they should be, gruff, fun and rough around the edges. "Homesy" is brilliant, with its imagery of skateboards, bongs, posters of Joe Strummer and Bruce Springsteen. This reviewer's personal favorite, "Steve the Cat," is also brilliant. Not taking themselves too seriously, the lads have time to squeeze in a song about their lost friend.

Track after track offers quality DIY pop punk with references to local punk rock haunts and hanging out with mates, taking the back streets to avoid the cops and singing old songs that the young kids don't know, don't forget all the history ‘n' shit and getting wasted. This record will not disappoint and covers all bases. This stuff is DIY party punk the way it should be and at the right price (it's free ya cheap bastards!).