The Hextalls - Get Smashed (Cover Artwork)

The Hextalls

Get Smashed (2010)

self-released


If there's two things in this world I love more than anything else, it has to be punk rock and video games. That's why I'm thankful that's I've bumped into The Hextalls. Simple but definitely fun, Get Smashed is a wild pop punk album that rips all the way through without any downtime.

With an album that kicks off with the lyrics "Who wants to get drunk and smash bumper cars? I do! I do!" you should probably know what you're getting into. 'I'm a Recluse!' sets the album in motion without any intent of stopping, followed by a song about a dad masturbating to country music and then a hilarious homage to Pacman. By now its almost difficult to continue listening without a big grin across your face.

With more fun, fast, and short pop-punk songs, the album takes its self-awareness to a new level with Generic Mid-Record Power Ballad which, in all brutal honesty, describes the song in its entirety pretty well. After a couple more songs of mourning relationships and alcoholism, the album pulls into its absolute funnest song based off one of the greatest video games in the past few years, We're The Castle Crashers. And anyone who's played Castle Crashers with a couple friends will have an incredibly difficult time not falling in love with this little gem. Being the (personal) biggest highlight of the album, the last few songs almost feel disappointing in comparison.

But hey, that's The Hextalls Get Smashed. Its pop-punk. It doesn't make an attempt to revolutionize the genre, or write poetic lyrics to make you contemplate your existance or anything, no, its just FUN, and anyone looking to fill that little niche won't need to look much further than this.