A sugar cube empire could have been there’s …
If only it hadn’t rained in September 1995.
The Presidents of the United States – PUSA – to those who care. They had a large-scale radio ‘smash’ with a song called ‘Lump’ in the mid-nineties and followed it up with something almost as endemic called ‘Peaches’. It was fun while it lasted – a rubbery cartoon trio of yanks that existed along a faultline in the UK charts which had developed with the arrival of gorky undesirables, The Spin Doctors and the infinitely more talented Weezer. It was classic Nerd-Rock: upbeat, self-deprecating, occasionally amusing with a awkward bookish charm and a good line in chirpy, infectious choruses and as likely to be disposed as quickly as a tampon during a particularly heavy period.
Whilst bands like XTC and They Might Be Giants have been able to trade on the same combustible combination of bubblegum and brains for the best part of twenty years, the Presidents of the United States have had to make do with the occasional guest appearance, and here they are reprising their role as zany 90s indiepops with ‘These Are The Good Times’ – a characteristically frivolous brew of frenetic, catchy goon tunes like ‘Mixed Up’, and ‘Warhead’ and ‘Rot In The Sun’ and more casual (and vaguely folksy) introspection – ‘Bad Times’ and ‘Loose Balloon’ (a bit like Cobain’s ‘Come As You Are’, had it been written by crayon daubing pre-schooler).
Recorded with Northwest ‘legends’ The Fastbacks and Kurt Bloch (Robyn Hitchcock, Mudhoney, Les Thugs) it’s pretty much what you’d expect from band who patently seem to be believe that Greenday are still the hottest new talent in town.
Presidents of the United States Of Amercia: the classic line-up.
ALBUM: THESE ARE THE GOOD TIMES PEOPLE – OUT 10th MARCH 2008
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