Loading details…
Artist
The Punk Group
12+ albums
experimentalelectronicExperimental RockelectronicaSynth-Punk
about
Warning to the thin-skinned, easily offended or hyper-politically correct — the Punk Group is not for you. Not that the band’s two members care what anyone thinks about them: They’re too busy crafting brilliantly twisted, Devo-influenced little ditties that take aim at anyone and everyone (un)fortunate enough to grab their attention. Armed with a drum machine, synthesizer, guitar and bass, plus an unflinchingly cheeky worldview, Brian Applegate and Tony Cameron have turned a potential liability — their lack of formal musical training — into a bona fide asset. The Punk Group is celebrating the release of its fourth album, a breath of fresh, irreverent air in an era where music is threatening to sink under the weight of its own seriousness and self-importance. “MySpace” is a timely little number that goes straight to the heart of the Web site’s appeal, with Applegate and Cameron chanting “MySpace is good for getting laid” over a sequenced beat that will give you Frogger flashbacks. There are plenty of gems on the band’s new album, but anyone familiar with The Punk Group will tell you that you absolutely, seriously, must see the band live. With an arsenal of material that includes should-be hits like “Sleater-Kinney Sucks,” “Magic Carpet Ride” and “Fat Girls on Bicycles,” not to mention matching and sometimes slightly disturbing outfits, The Punk Group puts on a truly unique and memorable show. Just be careful — it hurts when you shoot beer through your nostrils. — Barbara Mitch
