O'Doyle Rules

A Bad Case of Loser Denial (1999)

fatpunkguy

O'Doyle Rules are a ska/pop-punk band from Houston, TX. A Bad Case of Loser Denial is their first album on Good Guy Records, which was owned by Scott Doyle, the singer guitarist for O'Doyle Rules. One thing that can definitely be said about this band is that they exemplify DIY, but that's another story for another time. So how's the record?

Well, O'Doyle Rules plays a combination of ska, pop-punk and power-pop on this record. The album opens with "Mystery Blonde Girl," which showcases their power-pop side. It's catchy enough to keep you listening but the best is yet to come.

It's not until four songs in that you begin to discover their ska/pop-punk side, and this is where they really shine. The power-pop-type songs are good, but not great and sometimes come across as slightly bland or generic. The ska/pop-punk songs, on the other hand, bring out the unique side of the band. They are often silly on many of the ska/pop-punk songs, but not just lyrically. The music itself has a humorous tone to it and when combined with the lyrics it really is a lot of fun. Also, they are silly in their own nerdy kind of way. Just listen to "Germaphobe" and you'll understand what I mean.

Back when this came out I remember some of my friends comparing them to the Impossibles. I know what they were getting at, but these guys are pretty unique, through ultimately their musical progression over time was similar to the Impossibles.

The production is decent, especially for a DIY record they put out themselves. However, I thought the sequencing could have been better. The album does keep you listening, though, so that is a minor complaint.

Overall, I guess I would sum this up as being a fun and somewhat unique ska/pop-punk record mixed with a mediocre power-pop record. When this band shines, they shine bright, but when they don't it feels like a not-as-good version of something you've heard before.