Right, let’s get one thing straight. If you hate brainless, dumb songs about girls then turn away now. But, if you love all of the above then strap yourself in and enjoy the ride. Signed to Drive-Thru, it’s obvious that Allister are no Propagandhi. Hell, they’re perhaps even more purile than Blink 182. But don’t hold that against them, because Allister knock out the kind of singalong-songs that most bands can only dream about. Sixteen tracks are belted out at high pace, so quick in fact that the CD only lasts for a shade of thirty minutes. But that is ‘Dead Ends And Girlfriends’ charm. It’s short, sweet and fun.
‘Jimmy’s Dreamgirl’ sets things off nicely, with machine gun drumming and a cool riff. The harmonies on the chorus work real well too, and the first impression you get is that Allister play pop songs really quickly. Really quickly. Boy, are this lot fast. ‘Residential Burglary’ starts off like the ‘Radio Still Sucks’ by The Ataris before going into its own. Drummer Tim takes over lead vocals for the track, as he sings about someone called Andy going to jail. It’s not going to change the world, but it’s sure as hell fun.
‘Moper’ starts off a bit slower, with bassist Scott taking over singing duties. With all four members of the band handling lead vocal duties at some point, it certainly keeps things interesting, as Californian punks Midtown have already proved. But having four vocalists really does break up the monotony of listening to the same guy over and over again, so it works. Especially during ‘I Want It That Way’, but more of that later.
Things get even dumber with a song about being hit on by another guy. ‘Jacob Thinks I’m Gay’ is a classic though, so we’ll forgive the purile subject matter. It’s an air-drummer’s haven, and has a chorus to die for. I guarantee you’ll be singing along to the “nah-nah” parts, so it’s an album highlight without a doubt. Acoustic? What’s going on here then? Oh, hang on, now it kicks in. For a second you think ‘It’s Just Me’ might well be a slower, more tender moment, but the song soon kicks off in fine style. It is a little slower than some of the other tracks, but that won’t stop you singing along. ‘Miz’ is also fast and furious with yet another cracking chorus. The harmonies again work wonders for the song, as they do with each one.
‘Moon Lake Village’ is a bit average really. It’s a good song, but nothing special and ‘I Told You So’ is similar. It sounds good and all, but there’s nothing that grabs you by the balls. It’s not bad by any stretch of the imagination, just there are better songs here. ‘Timing’ is better, even if it does sound like a MxPx/Ataris hybrid, which is no bad thing at all. It’s also a little bit slower, giving the ears a bit of respite from the pounding drums and rumbling basslines. ‘Friday Night’ featured on a Drive-Thru sampler, so if you’ve heard that before and I say that it is typical Allister, you’ll know what I mean. It’s catchy intro, verse, melodic singalong chorus, all played over a three or four chord riff. That’s not meant to sound patronising as it works very well, just it’s a little bit predictable.
The Kevin Smith inspired ‘Chasing Amy‘ is the first song that Eric sings on, and is perhaps the weakest track vocally. Again, it’s not that bad a track, just nothing special. Ditto ‘Boysenberry’, which sounds just like most of the other tracks on this record. A couple more filler songs and this would really make you doze off. But at this point, literally make-or-break, Allister produce a moment of genius.
‘Fraggle Rawk’ was one of everyone’s favourite cartoons, so it is an inspired choice of cover. Cool bass intro, cool singalong verse, then a sensational chorus. Whoever shouts “punk rock” halfway through deserves a medal. One of the best punk rock covers ever. ‘Pictures’ sounds a bit like early Blink 182, and is a lot better than the last few mediocre tracks. Its hook of “I just wanna get laid” will have you singing along in no time, but just make sure it’s not at a family dinner when you do decide to sing along…
‘Love Song’ is bizarre. A fifteen second thrash, which is just crap. But all is made up with closer ‘I Want It That Way’, a cover of the Backstreet Boys, ahem, classic. It’s pretty much a straight cover really, only faster. But it’s brilliant. Let’s face it, it’s a cool song anyway, so it’s another inspired choice. Everyone knows the words [you’re lying if you say you don’t…] and you will be singing along before the end. The boys even mockingly sing in boy band mode, just for kicks. Absolutely stunning.
If you like your punk rock with a little substance and style, then you probably won’t like this. But if you like fun and some good honest pop-punk tunes, then you’ll lap this up quicker than a dehydrated cat. It is a bit sad that the two covers are the best tracks here, but they are so good it is really worth getting this just for them. If Slick Shoes, New Found Glory and MxPx float your boat, then Allister are the band for you.
Paul