Wavves

Wavvves (2009)

C.M. Crockford

Wavves is Nathan Williams, an LA punk-indie dude who specializes in grimy, distorted SoCal punk. Fuck Bad Religion--this album is better than most of their records, bringing in ambient noise and bizarre acoustics, but also old-fashioned pop-punk with "ahh"s and "ooh"s. Wavves is one of the best punk bands out there; don't anyone tell you different.

Much of the album definitely carries that Agent Orange/surf punk tradition. His vocals are as maleovent as Mike Palm, and his voice makes the choruses and poppy sound much more sinister. It's the sound of a hateful suburban shit recording while recalling his high school days, a mixture of bong-smoking, weird music, and being stranded in American wasteland. In other words, punk rock. His lyrics are bitter, gleeful, and strangely defiant: "Look forward to the sun, the sun, the sun… You see me, I don't care"; "No hope kids are broke"; "I'm getting high to pass the time"… This is one fucked-up kid.

Anyway, this is Wavves. A garage punk geek with no other interests other than snot-nosing through catchy, lo-fi punk. As we all should have.