Young Hasselhoffs

Get Dumped (2001)

Hein Terweduwe

I know I will get a lot of criticism over me for this review, because this is the prototype of a "mellow teenage" album I guess. But I think it's just a great little collection of pop-punk songs that are easy to swallow and I like that now and then. Green Day's early "Kerplunk" album was the first thing that crossed my mind when listening to this album, not only for the sound, but it has that same basic old Lookout-records quality. I mean, it sounds like it has been recorded in a bit of a hurry, which for me is just OK when the songs aren't too complex. Dual vocals are super melodic, although at times it seems the guy tries a bit too hard to get it right, without this really becoming annoying though. Aside from Green Day there's a few songs that have a dosage of Screeching Weasel or maybe even The Ramones. At least these songs made me really start to nodge my head and sing along. Lyrically there's the usual nonsense (that's my opinion) about girls, which is no surprise when you look at the lame cover image. But nevertheless I really can't deny that this album was one I really enjoyed all the way, maybe because the songs were so recognizable after a first listening, and I'm not going to be the tough punkguy, this is just one of the best poppy stuff to come out recently. The songs that really impressed me where "Nova", "All Those Years" (which in fact sounds a bit too much like a Green Day song, check the mp3 below yourself) and "Annalee". Of course there's the obligatory acoustic song "You'll Make It" which is pretty good. Hey, if just someone could tell these Nebraska guys to get a website up, so they just might get some more attention.