Reviews

There are few bands that are as important to Chicago punk rock as Screeching Weasel.  In the mid 1980’s, Screeching Weasel mixed Chicago hardcore with classic Ramones pop-punk and became a force to be reckoned with.  Amassing a catalog and a following that is nothing short of legendary, Screeching Weasel may be one of the most important bands to come out of the Chicago scene…ever.  Recently, front man Ben Weasel has released an online only release, These Ones Are Bitter.  This record is definitely in the vein of what we have come to expect from Ben Weasel.
 
Over the years, Ben Weasel has delivered a slew of classic records to the pop punk world via Screeching Weasel and the Riverdales.  These Ones are Bitter is fourteen tracks of pure pop-punk bliss.  Ben uses his knack for writing witty, melodic pop songs to his advantage.  This album is straightforward, but, surprisingly, a bit different from what we are used to from Ben. 
 
On These Ones Are Bitter, Ben works with two members of the All American Rejects, as well as Dan Andriano from the Alkaline Trio.  This combination of musicians adds a unique twist to the classic Weasel sound.  It is still what you would expect, but modernized in a way; it is not the classic pop punk of yester year.  My only gripe is that the album almost seems overproduced.  It is not as raw and gritty as past releases associated with Ben Weasel.  This damns the record in a way and it isn’t exactly what his core fan base might expect.  The songs are good, but it’s hard to accept this record as its own entity if you are as familiar with Ben Weasel’s back catalogue as I am.
 
These Ones Are Bitter starts off with the track “Let Freedom Ring.”  This song is a straightforward pop-punk song with the slick, melodic solo grabbing your attention from the get-go.  The orchestration is reminiscent of Screeching Weasel, but as the song progresses, you begin to realize that this is something new; it’s different, but in a good way.  Ben Weasel has adapted his classic sound to appeal to a new audience that may not be familiar with the majesty of Screeching Weasel.
 
The third cut, “Got My Number,” is fucking phenomenal.  It begins with these excellently mixed drums that sound so empty, but lead in beautifully to a powerful chord strike.  Ben chimes in with his vocals and the track holds steady.  This is a great song and by far the best track on the record.
 
The rest of the album is poppy as hell.  There are a few surprises.  One is the use of acoustic guitar on a few tracks.  This was almost unheard of on Weasel albums of the past.  One of the biggest surprises is the track “In a Bad Place.”  This is nothing you would ever expect to hear from Ben Weasel.  It starts very slow with a muted guitar and an eerie synthesizer line underneath it before Ben chimes in with the vocal and a soft clean guitar melody over the muted guitar.  The song builds to a melodic finish as the song comes to a close.  The track is interesting to say the least.  Honestly, I do not know how to take it, since I would expect a track like this from, say, the Get up Kids, but definitely not Ben Weasel.  It is by far the most unique track on the record and the one that shows the progression of Ben Weasel as an artist.
 
The other thing that troubles me with this recording is that it is being released, at least presently, on-line only.  It definitely made it more difficult to review considering I did not have a copy to hold in my hands with liner notes and all that other good shit you get with an actual album; I couldn’t even burn it to a cd, since I was given a link to an online stream.  This forced me to sit at the computer and listen to this record on computer speakers.  It did not give the record its due.  I feel I could have better appreciated this release if I had been able to listen to it on an actual stereo, where the sonic qualities of the music can be greater appreciated. 
 
Overall, this is a surprising release from a legendary front man.  These Ones Are Bitter may alienate some of Screeching Weasel’s core fan base, but then again, you have to realize that this is not a Screeching Weasel record; it is similar but definitely different.  The progression of Ben Weasel as an artist over the last five years is something to appreciate.   He has taken a sound, which he helped create, and adapted it to the now.  It is a quality release and worth checking out.