Review Summary: A very lighthearted and energetic debut from a band that has a great amount of potential for success.
I was somewhat nervous when I sat down to listen to Bothering Dennis's debut. I happen to know the band members from high school and, while they are all talented, I was still skeptical of how they'd be able to formulate a comprehensible full length album with quality that can match up to an industry standard. I still had the lingering perception of them as the goofy kids I used to know.
Boy were my expectations blown out of the water. Their debut surprised me in every way possible. It opens with energy, closes with energy, and has enough diversity in the center to keep a skeptical listener, such as myself, intrigued. It is styled in a punk-rock fashion, but doesn't carry themes that grate on the listener, and most of the lyrical content ranges from comedic, to somewhat angsty tales of youth and peers, to lyrics so unabashedly innocent that it's hard to not enjoy them. The overall quality of the production is fantastic, with strong snare hits and crisp guitar licks that will never be lost on the ears because of poor recording. On the technical side, this album is nearly perfect in my eyes, or, in my ears rather.
There are some absolutely standout tracks on this album, which is only hindered by a few questionable songs with some also questionable lyrical and musical choices. "Lights Out," which I believe was a great choice for an opener, soars with its entertaining story-driven lyrics, fast pace, and soaring choruses that make it a fantastic way to begin an album with a strong introduction. The next three tracks, "Chewing Ice," "Center of Attention," and "Public Appearances" are all really enjoyable, each in their own right having great lyrical concepts, inventive riffs, and the latter of the three having some exceptionally good vocal harmonies in the choruses. The middle of the album, however, is were I felt a dip in quality. In this section, the album slows down and stylistically loses the aggression and, while the songs aren't at all bad, a few of them feel a little misguided in the form of "Let's Go to the Moon" and "Get Mad," which have a whimsical feel, but to a fault. I see the implementation of an effort to be more diverse, but it doesn't 100% work for me. However, the last three songs are all just as up to quality as the beginning. I thoroughly enjoyed the tempo slowdown in "Oatmeal Cookie" and the vocal switch which really worked well in terms of changing up the sound. "Bobby" is a great throwback to a hard classic punk sound, aggressive and enjoyable. And the phenomenal closer "Radio Friendly" truly solidified how I felt about the album.
Despite the hiccups, this debut is a great foundation for introducing this group's talent, inventiveness, and prowess over style and lyrical substance. It is an all-around excellent album, and I'm glad I was so pleasantly surprised during my first listen.
(Spotify album link) - https://open.spotify.com/album/0zDbg6JfzjdIOUnHVMep3k
