Loser Points

Does Loser Points Come Here Often? (2016)

Jeff Sorley

Couched in the 80s skatepunk sound, Alberta, Canada’s Loser Points doesn’t bandy words or mess around on their newest full length album (and I use that term extremely loosely), Does Loser Points Come Here Often?

Taking cues from the early days of such punk luminaries as Circle Jerks and D.R.I., only a few of the songs on this album are longer than one-minute, and none reach the two-minute mark. The twelve tracks don’t even reach twelve minutes, and the pace throughout is fast and furious. Think of this as more of an extended EP.

But that’s not to say that this is a collection of throwaway mini songs. Even the shortest track, “Why Did You Fuck My Girlfriend?”, which clocks in at a mere twenty-two seconds, still comes off fairly well. “Brozone,” likely the most mid-tempo and melodic of the bunch, is tongue-in-cheek in its cheeriness. Many tracks have an intro as long as the body of the song itself, and almost all essentially have a smash-and-grab vibe, quickly assaulting your senses and then finishing before you know what hit you.

Lyrically, many of these aren’t the most poetic or powerfully moving, but they aren’t meant to be. Why be emotional when repeating the lyrics “Fuck Boy! Fuck Boy!” seven times gets the job done? It definitely feels that Loser Points know exactly what are where they want to be, and land there every time.

This is the band's third release in a year, and although it is offered as a pay-what-you-want and, based on the length instead of quantity, it is definitely worth what you’d throw in for an EP. Fun, frenetic, definitely not for the faint of heart or overly P.C., Does Loser Points Come Here Often? is worth checking out if you are a fan of the snarkiness and charm of the early works of bands like The Vandals, M.O.D., or Dayglo Abortions.