Mixed but spirite afair from genre defying band
Engineer records usually put out good records, and 'The Punch and Judy Show' is no exception. It's not the most groundbreaking album, but it's lively with plenty of spirit and sometimes that's all you need. Sounding a bit like Blink 182 mixed with Feeder and a bit of emo and punk, it'll probably have music purists up in arms but it would hardly be fair. The fact it's not flawless just adds to the charm.
Track one starts off the trail of interesting song titles with 'That's Life in the Putty Knife Factory', and it's just as well that the song's good. It's the sort of tune that really makes you want to bounce around, and the freewheeling Blink 182-style melodies are hard to resist.
When 'Smart Move, Sissy Boy' kicks in it's almost just like 'Swim'-era Feeder from the vocals to music, but that doesn't mean it's bad. Andthewinneris obviously know how to write a catchy hook and, before you know it, you're singing along. The same thing could be said for the chorus of 'Ice Cream is not My Final Answer' which could be contrived as being just too emo if it wasn't so goddamn catchy.
The start of 'This is the Dumbest Vacation I've Been On' has a lovely, shimmering riff, so it's a shame when the verse turns out to be pretty clunky. The vocals and lyrics are too earnest, 'I need you more than you need me/but without you I feel free' being a good example. In fact, these guys start songs really well but then things go a bit downhill occasionally, 'All This Was Funny until she did the Same Thing to Me' being a good case in point. It suffers from the same problem as 'This is the Dumbest...' and it's frustrating because the music is great. Having said that, there are cool touches like the female vocals that briefly appear.
One of the best tracks on the album has got to be 'Between You and Me and the Fencepost...', a total punk racket that's angry, noisy and full of passion. It takes shouting, furious guitars, and fast drums and throws them together to make something wonderful. So, I'm left wishing for more of the same when track 10 returns to pop punk rock, but even so it's downbeat and melancholy.
After all the dramatics and chaos of the previous ten tracks, 'Tiger Food' is as good as a rest and lovely with it. It's so simple, just guitars and vocals come as a surprise - a nice surprise. The lyrics are quite ambiguous, 'Wake up and say/stand up and say you can't let go/it's more than a feeling' - it's a good combination. But, of course, for the final song Andthewinneris finish off in style. Well, maybe not style, as the band give into their overblown side adding pianos and suspiciously classic rock sounding guitars.
'The Punch and Judy Show' is a mixed affair, and you'll either love it or hate it. Despite its faults, it's a record I'd listen to time and again.