The Brokedowns

A mix between Screeching Weasel’s snot-nosed, fast-paced pop punk and the more contemplative, gruff-voiced style of the Lawrence Arms, the Brokedowns start things off with a bang on "Brains.” With a chorus that gives the album its title, the band immediately show off a keen, off-kilter sense of humour, one that persists throughout with tracks like "The S.A.R.S. Groove.” The influence of Leatherface is all over this record, particularly on "Year of the Hydra,” where the hoarse, shouted vocals that the Brokedowns prove to be such excellent purveyors of reach what sounds like their absolute breaking point. Most of the songs are sarcastic critiques of popular ideologies, and while New Brains For Everyone is far from a concept record, the unifying thematic thread makes it a solid, cohesive listen.