Okay, okay. So the ever-popular Bowling for Soup is back again for a more mainstream type of album that everyone has heard at least ONE song off of. I'm sure that people have looked at the album (featuring the catchy singles (and overplayed, sure) '1985' and 'Almost'), and thought, "God, what a bunch of fags. Punk/pop died and so should these guys!" or something along those lines. Sure.
And the usual Bowling for Soup fans say that 'this is nothing like their old albums'. You've got to be on crack! This sounds exactly like their old stuff! (Excluding several of the lighter songs.) It kind of pisses me off.
But that's okay, because I actually like punk and pop (and the mixture of the two, mind you), and I'm not afraid to voice my opinions.
Starting off with a breakdown of the pros and cons and sliding down into a song-by-song review, I'll get down and dirty on "A Hangover You Don't Deserve".
From the first song to the last, "A Hangover You Don't Deserve" is one hell of a good album. Experimental, even. Bowling for Soup experiments with a piano and acoustic guitar on several tracks ("Ridiculous", "Friends of Mine", et cetera). While not bad at all, it is quite a different sound for the usually rocking band with the nasal singer.
While on the subject of singer Jaret Van Erich's voice, I think it's awesome. He can sound sarcastic, mean, and rude, yet melodic at the same time. I love it! Sure, it sounds remarkably similar to the singer of SR-71 (the band people thought '1985' was sung by for awhile) but it's got a unique quality that gives the band a very tasteful touch.
The music is very well done except for one minute problem...the fact that the songs sound a lot alike lyrically. Most of the songs were sung about breakups and girlfriends. That's the downside: lyrically, there is not much variety. Good lyrics...not enough differentiation between the songs.
Aside from that, there really aren't more cons.
Happily saying, Bowling for Soup has done it again!
Track by Track
1.) Almost: 5/5 Great opening track, the second single off of the album, very catchy. Starts off with a slow, clean guitar picking riff, and then goes into the usual pop-punk sliding with power chords. Good music and lyrics. It's basically about a guy who almost had a girl, almost wrote a song, almost held up a grocery store...et cetera. It's also got a cool music video.
2.) Trucker Hat: 5/5 A lot of people say that this song is bad, but I like it. It's catchy and really funny. ('I can walk and I can pee/Even daddy would agree'). It has a very good feel to it, and contary to popular belief, it's not a love song. It's actually about a trucker hat. I love it!
3.) 1985 - 3/5 This was the first single, and overplayed is an understatement. Every ***ing time I turned on the radio, I'd hear this song. It really turned me off to Bowling for Soup for the longest time. We've all heard it. Next song.
4.) Get Happy - 5/5 Very catchy, happy song that makes me sing along to. Starts out with a distorted guitar and Jaret singing "She packed her *** and she left for the city..." Great song that is very easy to get stuck in your head. It's about a breakup--a guy wants his girlfriend to relax and get happy so he doesn't have to bring her down.
5.) Ohio (Come Back to Texas) - The third single off the album, and a great one, too. Yet again, about a breakup, this one is about a girl who runs off to Cleveland with a guy named Leland and the girl's boyfriend wishes she was back in Texas with him. I laughed my ass off when he starts naming people who want her back: Troy Aikman, Willie Nelson, the Bush Twins... Great song!
6.) Ridiculous - 3/5 I KNOW! I'm sorry! This is an acoustic/rock song that is so unlike the usually punk Bowling for Soup. It starts off with a very soft acoustic guitar and Jaret singing. Then it kicks in with him singing very high, and goes into the chorus, then back to the soft acoustic. Repetitive, and kind of annoying. Sue me.
7.) Shut Up and Smile - 5/5 A ***ing AWESOME song about how we all need to get along, and that beer, ice cream, and hugs can help with it. Very funny, very catchy, bouncier than a bowlful of jelly on a bumpy road. Jaret's vocals are outstanding here.
8.) Last Call Casualty - 5/5 I can relate to this one easily because I've actually made drunken phone calls to my ex-girlfriend, only to have her new boyfriend pick up. It's hilarious, too. ('I can't remember what I said, but I swear I meant no harm/I tried to knock on your window, but I set off your alarm'). Very Bowling for Soup like. Again, outstanding vocals, especially in the bridge.
9.) Next Ex Girlfriend - 3/5 This song is really funny, but it gets old REALLY quick. Funny verses ('Don't wanna meet your mom, don't wanna hump your sister/ don't want you messing around, and giving me a blister...') but the chorus is annoying. Worth a listen or two, though!
10.) Asshole - 4/5 This song is relatable. Yet again about a breakup, it's about a guy who regrets being an asshole. Not much to say here, other than it's pretty soft. Cool drum intro.
11.) My Hometown - 6/5 This song is awesome. Very, very punk. Starts off with Jaret singing with an acoustic guitar, thanking the people who were his friends before he became famous...and then goes into hardcore rock. Says '***' about twenty times (this is the reason the album got the advisory label, haha). It's about telling his good friends to get the *** out of their hometown, and basically putting down the people who are only his friends because he's famous. GREAT SONG. Awesome guitar, awesome drums, awesome vocals.
12.) Smoothie King - 5/5 Starts off with some cool palm muting, and drums. Then goes into the standard new-wave punk bit, verse chorus, verse. Nothing special, except it's a really good song. The longest on the album, too. Kind of boring at times, but hey...what can you do?
13.) Sad Sad Situation - 5/5 Starts out with Jaret saying 'All right, this is a sad, sad situation. One [long pause], two [long pause], THREE' and then goes into a palm muted verse. Usual punk, but this song is really catchy and fun to sing along to.
14.) Really Might Be Gone - 5/5 This song is really, really catchy, and really well done. Great musicianship, and really shows off Bowling for Soup's talent with music. Best line: "I'll be happy and my couch is gonna miss me, and all the girls will wanna kiss me, gotta get my *** together, 'cause this is dragging on and on...I'm starting to think she really might be gone."
15.) Down for the Count - 4/5 Interesting intro, with Jaret on an overhead mic, announcing the girl who broke his heart against his heart. Not too outstanding, but has a very catchy chorus, and well-written verse. The part at the end is pretty funny, too, with his ex girlfriend calling his cell phone.
16.) Two-Seater - 5/5 Again, a lot of people don't like this song, but I really do. It's really funny (about a guy who steals a girl's backseat because the best memory of him and her was in back of it. The best memory is the breakup) and really catchy. Jaret's vocals and writing talents shine like a damn diamond in this one.
17.) Friends O' Mine - 5/5 Great acoustic song (with a piano!) that's song solo by Jaret. Very nostalgic, funny, and well-written.
18.) Bonus Track: Ohio Remix - 6/5 This is really funny. The guys play "Cakewalk" with Texas names. (Remember the bridge to Ohio? It's basically just that. It's seven minutes long, but ***ing HILARIOUS.)
19.) Belgium (Boy Band Remix) - 1/5 I hate 'Belgium' in general. It's been on every single one of their albums, and it really will never get any better.
Hope you liked the review:)
