In 2022, Austrian punks Sweatpants Party released a self-titled debut album which encapsulated a superb blend of sharp edged pop punk and classic sounding Ramonescore. It was the kind of record that seemed set to take on Screeching Weasel at their own game, but with a combination of fun songs and a frontman far less likely to punch women in public, it actually bested the Chicago veterans, paving the way to more greatness in the future. Two years on, ‘Wee Little Songs’ took the band’s sound further into Weasel territory, and by packing twelve songs into just eight minutes, the material harked back to the fun fillers on Kevin Aper’s old Apers records. If you didn’t love the Sweatpants gang after this, it’s likely you never would.
Their 2025 EP ‘Fanno Bella Figura’ finds the band stretching out, if not always in terms of arrangements, then in terms of song length. The broader approach means a couple of the release’s tracks aren’t as immediate, but as a showcase for solid punk musicians, everything works rather well.
‘Fai Il Bravo’ kicks off with a riff that mixes melodic punk and Ramonescore influences, allowing a deep bass and chugging guitar to take centre stage. The relentless chug means the expected buoyancy isn’t there at first, but after launching into a chorus where a bubblegum inflected melody, a few gang vocals and more of a Ramones-ish feel take over, things start to feel a little more like traditional Sweatpants. The gruff vocals from Kevin Aper are unmistakable, of course, and by the time this reaches a huge sounding climax, it has all the makings of a fan favourite. ‘Roberto Baggio’ taps into a Screeching Weasel/Riverdales homage in a heartbeat, making the best of speed driven, muted guitar chords on a sharp sounding verse, before a rousing chorus hits the listener with a choir of voices. Slipping into something a little more power pop infused for the middle eight shows off a band unafraid of bigger melodies, but for the pop punk purists, a soaring lead guitar and big vocal steer the second half of this short track to glory.
Adopting more of the melodic tones of The Mr. T Experience during its intro, ‘Calogero’ promises big things and certainly doesn’t disappoint when things settle into an Apers influenced punker where solid drumming and chopping guitars provide a perfect backdrop for a distinctive vocal. Then, at the point where you might think everything has slipped into too much of a comfort zone, a quieter bridge brings forth a huge bass sound and lets the vocal gradually build into a rousing hook for a big finish. Although a lot of elements here lean into a pop punk by numbers, when things are played this well, the results are impossible not to love. Perhaps coasting a little to obviously at first, ‘Lignano’ hits like a blend of old Apers tunes with a hint of influence from fellow Euro punks The Manges. This lulling of the audience with safe pop punk allows the dropping of a reggae interlude to feel even more effective. It’s seemingly there to prove that SP aren’t entirely working a pop punk by numbers routine, yet at the same time, it doesn’t feel forced in any way. With some great harmonies and equally strong hook, even with its predictable elements, this is certainly an EP standout.
In closing, Sweatpants Party pull out “the big guns” with the very accessible ‘Goleador’ opens with a classic sounding Ramonescore riff, allowing chopping rhythm guitars to be overlaid by soaring lead, before descending into a world of gruff vocals and muted guitar. As the tune finds its feet, things shift sideways into something that sounds like an old Apers classic or two, with Kevin’s lead vocals joined by a more melodic tone on the chorus. In some ways, this track peaks around the two minute mark, having reached peak melodic punk with a verse/chorus/verse/chorus, but things expand on the melody, first with a couple of stops, then with a fake ending, before crashing back in with a couple of minutes’ worth of gang vocals delivering a world of “doo doo doo”s into the fade. It could be argued that this feels as if it’s padding out the studio cut – five minutes is positively epic in pop punk terms, and especially so if measured by everything on the previous Sweatpants release – but it’s easy to imagine this really working a crowd at live shows.
Although it doesn’t always have the immediacy of the debut or the sheer fun factor of ‘Wee Little Songs’, this is an interesting side-step for Sweatpants Party. The best tracks are punky enough to sit alongside the best of their previous works, and it’s another punk release that proves that, when the music has an instantly recognisable and universal appeal (at least in pop punk circles), choruses driven by non-English hooks really can’t keep a great riff down. It’s far more of a “fans only” release than it could’ve been, but a little extra musical invention in places shows they’re not stagnant, unlike some of their peers. Overall, this is a decent release that deserves an ear from the more obsessive pop punk/Ramonescore fan.
June 2026