Gob – Foot In Mouth Disease

Gob, a band originating from Vancouver have had many releases, this being their second on a major label (not counting the recent F.U. EP).  The band has pop-punk-rock sound which is one of a kind. Throughout the whole CD there is rarely a down point, the biggest surprise though is the remake of the hit single, I Hear You Calling. This is an amazing song, but shouldn’t be on two major releases by the same band.

Gob do not stick to the regular  rules of punk rock music, combining different sources to create an additional sound, like the clapping in track 2, I’ve Been Up These Steps or the piano in Fed Up. These little additions add something extra to the song and really just fulfill it.

Being well known for their juvenile attitude and angst-driven lyrics, you can never forget the seriousness that the band possess as well. One such example is found in my favorite song, Oh! Ellin. This, like many other pop-punk songs is about a girl. But don’t be alarmed, the song is incredibly unique. The chorus is amazing with two sets of vocals singing it. The lyrics are simple but very catchy. The beat changes from chorus to verse as well, all in great speed and timing. Around the 2:20 mark there is an amazing bass solo which then breaks off into a rhythm that is impossible to describe but fits perfectly. This truly is the best song on the album.

When Life Gets Boring… (track 7) is another really good song. A song more faced toward the punk side of the band.  It is a much faster paced song and which a much more eminent drum beat in it. The vocals are catchy and stick with perfect synchronization to the beat. Around the two minute mark, they then slow it down for a verse before bombarding us with the chorus one more time. After that comes the first single, which I might say I love the video for, Give Up The Grudge. The lyrics in here are catchy and very powerful. All about people complaining constantly about how their life sucks, and this makes everyone really annoyed at him, and then as the chorus so nice puts it “take a look around you, there ain’t no body home. I may be a loser but at least I’m not alone.”

Bones comes blasting at you next, this is another fantastic song, it is quite short (only 2:12), but there isn’t one thing missing from it. The song is a fast paced one which gets your attention right away. It is hard to describe, just listen to it. Track 11, as I mentioned before, really surprised me, it is I Hear You Calling. It is a redone version of it, and a Gob classic, but doesn’t really fit in with the album. This CD is a much more punk oriented album then their previous (The World According To Gob). And the song just doesn’t really fit into the motion of it all. Still a good song, but there is no need to have it on two major label albums.

Overall, this is a great CD by the Canadians punkers. A 14 track album of heavy pop-punk-rock songs, there really is something for everyone in it.