Over the years, The Dollyrots have carved out a fine sound blending power pop melodies with pop punk-ish riffs. Their albums are home to some really sugary tunes, but thanks to some taut bass work and a constant nod back to the 90s and bands like Other Star People and The Muffs, their guitar driven pop/rock has never felt completely saccharine.
Following a string of digital singles and an EP, this album by Austrian punks felt a long time coming. Not only because the gradual release of singles built up interest slowly, but also because the arrival of the Covid-19 pandemic delayed the planned recording of the bulk of the material. Better late than never, The Pigeon Boys finally released their first full length in the summer of 2022.
On paper, this two track release from Fire Sale immediately sets a high benchmark in terms of punk. The band features bassist Matt Riddle (ex-No Use For A Name/Face To Face), guitarist Chris Swinney (ex-Ataris) and Ann Beretta’s Pedro Aida on second guitar. Along with drummer Matt Morris, that’s one hell of a line-up, and with the material recorded at the legendary Blasting Room recording studio and packaged in artwork supplied by NOFX/Lagwagon sleeve designer Mark deSalvo, there’s automatically a great expectation even before any music is heard.
Since the turn of the millennium, The Dollyrots have been an important fixture on the pop punk scene. In an era where so many “punk” bands took a more emo route, vocalist Kelly Ogden and friends constantly served up classic pop punk riffs – 90s style – injected with a little power pop sugariness, which often put the band somewhere between peak blink-182 and the noisier elements of Letters To Cleo. Naturally, their often buoyant and fun approach to everything attracted Jaret Reddick and his band Bowling For Soup. Strong bonds were made in the name of friendship, and over the years, the two bands could often be found sharing a stage or three.
Formed during the pandemic restrictions of 2021, The Prize are promoted as a power pop band, but those looking for a world of Jellyfish and McCartney inspired throwbacks should be forewarned that this band really don’t indulge in that kind of perfection or sugariness. There is a power pop heart to their sound, but it’s far more indebted to bands like The Nerves (of ‘Hanging On The Telephone’ fame) and The Real Kids, occasionally fused with the more melodic end of The Buzzcocks’ output. With a pinch of early Flamin’ Groovies and the occasional nod to fellow Aussies The Saints to be discovered along the way, this debut EP stirs up a world of energy, but matches the spiky riffs with massive, catchy hooks at every turn.