From its first yelped chorus, Japandroids ooze joyful and carefree innocence. It’s not that their music is particularly happy or gentle—quite the opposite. It’s that this simple drum-and-guitar combo sounds strangely grand. They adapt some of the crooning and whining of hardcore, but it’s combined here with a raw earnestness that launches it worlds away from more modern punk
Drummer David Prowse and guitarist Brian King are surprisingly tight; they move between tempos and moods with ease. It’s also helpful that the album was recorded simply. Distortion is audible on the drums and vocals, but it only adds to the frantic energy of the band’s eight songs (all of which together last only slightly longer than 30 minutes). It’s like an old Jesus and Mary Chain record, played at a higher speed, with faster drums and slightly whinier vocals.
Post-Nothing works well on two levels. It’s a fast and fun punk record, but in a way, it’s moving, too. Japandroids’ straight-faced howling, screaming, and shredding are so alarming and unexpected that they sometimes seem downright ridiculous. But, even at their silliest moments, the Japandroids’ lyrical tales of teen angst and near-death experiences are easy to identify with. It’s this comfortable marriage of emotion and simple, loud music that makes Post-Nothing a successful and satisfying slice of punk.
In A Word: Primal
