The Spits

The Spits strike a good balance between working hard and not taking themselves too seriously. For instance, every album they've released has been self-titled. They tour extensively, wear weird costumes and abuse substances while playing brainless, but brilliant, party punk that could pass for the horribly dysfunctional offspring of the Ramones and Devo. Their signature sound of fuzzed-out guitar, spacey keyboards and relentless drumming comes with mechanical-like precision that beats you over the head repeatedly with the belligerent pop sensibilities of "All I Want" and "I'm Fed Up." Although they appreciate a good hook, the Spits easily travel into eerie territory, most evident on the haunting "Tomorrow's Children," and the new wave-ish "Last Man on Earth," which delves deeply into samples, droning vocals and drum machines. The group's fifth and strongest effort stays true to their ethos, as these 12 minimally produced tracks run just shy of 20 minutes. Whether they're trying to create art or just taking the piss out of the elitist music industry, the Spits are the type of band that punk rock needs more of.