Problem Daughter – Fists Of Disorganized Boredom

Salt Lake City street punk act Problem Daughter has been quietly amassing quite the reputable set of releases on the independent circuit. So much so that they caught the ear of the punk community leaders at Dying Scene Records for the release of their fourth album.  One listen to the attitude-drenched eight-track whirlwind, Fists Of Disorganized Boredom, and it’s clear how this stylised combination of Morning Glory meets NOFX made such an unforgettable impression on this fan-driven label.

Problem Daughter harbours immediate appeal to anyone that’s ever rocked out to the rougher side of Fat Wreck Chords.  Fists Of Disorganized Boredom channels the pull of just about any band that reconciles sweaty ragged howling with big anthemic calls to arms.  Such an organic variety of songs hail from radically different stops along the punk rock trail, yet each hit home with unmatched oomph.  Take “Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?,” which picks up the first opportunity to burst into melodic verse and run with the all the snark of NOFX on tour slagging off to a self-depreciating crowd.  Then, compare that speed and self-destruction to the slow, artful unravelling of “Like A Dog,” which plays out reminiscent to the introspective heights of American Steel.  Fists Of Disorganized Boredom has it all.

As the album unfolds, a host of unique voices share the mic in a way that pegging down a particular “frontman” becomes a trivial task.  Each of the quartet contribute vocals from the frontlines to bolstering backups.  A song like “Alda, Small Things” rotates between voices of various levels of rasp, ranging from the sloppy Against Me!-like callouts, to the shrill highs of Anti-Flag and Pour Habit.  Trading off lines and words, or harmonizing for a massive in-your-face chorus, the vocal contributions feel as rich and ranged as Fat Mike’s coveted punk-rock opera, Home Street Home.  Topics of down and out lifestyle and street life similarly permeate the lyrics in songs like “Lousy Smarch Weather” and “Dracula On A Budget.”  The band belts passionately in celebration of their typically marginalized counterculture. Few bands shift between tempos, vocalists and overall mood with such ease, but Problem Daughter feel like they could perform with their eyes closed and one arm tied behind their back without breaking a sweat.

When all’s said and done, Problem Daughter is the best punk rock band you’re not listening to, and Fists Of Disorganized Boredom is your new favourite record waiting to be discovered.  A rare specimen indeed, Fists Of Disorganized Boredom boasts an improvisational quality that showcases a phenomenal chemistry among bandmates.  The songwriting feels as though it was recorded during an afternoon of brewskis among friends, but the results have enough vision to bring a stadium to its feet.