Bob Burns And The Breakups

Bob Burns and the Breakups dole out punk rock’n’roll like it was going out of style. Well, if it was ever in, that is. The trashy production creates a garage-y atmosphere that results in tinny drums and twang-y guitars. Yet while that would sound like sticking hot knives into your ears coming from most bands, these ephemeral ditties are certainly appealing. Propelled by infectious hyperactivity, "I Hate Your City” and "Don’t Follow Me” swirl around like the tornado that picked up Dorothy and dropped her skinny ass in Oz. Only this Dorothy would be wearing Mary Janes and sporting more ink than a Bic pen factory. Terminal Breakdown is the kind of record that says nothing new but you don’t want it to. The lack of some overstated point or meaning makes it more valuable and entertaining, reminiscent of the days gone by when the New Bomb Turks still had enthusiasm for their craft, or when the Hives weren’t trying to live down their unexpected success.