I’ve never liked Guttermouth. They’re no more than a Vandals tribute band in
my lousy opinion and ‘Gusto’ certainly doesn’t change that view. This is a
bad record – possibly the worst pop-punk record I’ve heard this year. And
this is coming from a pop-punk fan that laps up as much as I can get.
OK, that may sound harsh, but unfortunately it’s true. Guttermouth are purile
pop-punk at its worst – the songs are remotely average at best and it’s been
heard so many times before. Actually, every single song on this record has
already appeared on a Vandals record. Take ‘Scholarship In Punk’, a track
which to be brutally honest isn’t that bad, but it’s so close to Dave
Quackenbush and company that they may as well rename the band. Title
track ‘Gusto’ is bloody awful and ‘Vacation’ is bland, boring and ultimately
very predictable, coming across more like Sheryl Crow than a Californian punk
band.
‘Contagious’ is diabolical, a nothing song with vocals that are barely
distinguishable and a guitar line that simply meanders in and out of the
song. It seems half-hearted, like there’s no real effort been put in. ‘Pee
In The Shower’ is Blink 182 at their most childish, a sign that Guttermouth
are stuck in the nineties, whilst ‘Walk Of Shame’ is possibly the best track
here, yet still a major disappointment. At least there’s a hint of a melody,
and the musicianship is very good, but the simple fact remains that I’m bored
by this record already.
The casio-fed intro of ‘My Town‘ is wretched as is ‘Foot-Long’, which is as
diabolical as ‘Looking Out For #1’ a song that comes across like Flogging
Molly on crack. And that kids, is not a good thing. ‘Twins’ sinks the record
to new lows, with ‘My Girlfriend’ also really, really poor. ‘Contribution’ is
a saving grace, with singer Mark Adkins unapologetically pointing his middle
finger at his detractors as he barks “not gonna say I’m sorry, would society
even care?” to an unsuspecting audience. But it’s simply too little, too
late…
If you write a pop-punk record you have to cater for both genres – have songs
which are fast, energetic and which rock-yer-socks-off, as well as having
singalong hooks the size of Holland. Guttermouth have neither. Simply wait a
month for the new Vandals record to come out and buy that instead, as this is
just a waste of a cd – it’s not big, hard or clever. Infact it’s quite simply
a load of old gusto.
Paul