Teenage Bottlerocket vs Human Robots

Teenage Bottlerocket has released one of the most unique split albums of the generation.  But Teenage Bottlerocket vs Human Robots isn’t about Teenage Bottlerocket, it’s all about the next generation, featuring two tracks by your well seasoned hosts and two by none other than vocalist Ray Carlisle’s pre-teen son, Milo.  That’s right, someone’s been taking notes while their dad’s been on tour, and there’s no doubt about it, pop-punk runs in the family.

Human Robots‘ two tracks are fun and playful and totally the product of a middle schooler’s mind.  “Step On ‘Em All” shows that Milo understands that pop-punk is merely a series of the catchiest hooks embraced and repeated until until they effectively burrow themselves in your mind.  “Step on a crack and break your mother’s back, so step on them all, step on them all” Milo sing’s in a kind of dronish, Goons of Doom sort of way.  The track lasts 45 seconds, but becomes the most memorable of the split’s four tracks within seconds. “I Wanna Hang Out With You” takes up a mid-tempo Teenage Bottlerocket style tempo, with Milo bemoaning his daytime prison in the line “I wanna hang out with you / I wanna skip class with you / I wanna get expelled with you.”  That Milo is the sole member of the band means that his multi-instrumentalist talent is constantly on display. Life has its stages, and we seldom get solid punk rock from artists of this age outside of regrettable demo tapes.

As for Teenage Bottlerocket’s contributions, both songs relate to band members’ kids, playfully affording appreciation for the simple joys of fatherhood.  “Everything to Me” is lifted from the band’s recent album, Stay Rad, feeling just as tight and right at home as an encore on this split.  “Olivia Goes to Bolivia” was written by bassist Miguel Chen about his baby daughter with vocal duties performed by co-vocalist Kody Templeman.  This song stands out by how much it feels like a b-side from Templeman’s other band, The Lillingtons, which is really odd (but entirely welcome) since Chen has no affiliation with that side of the Teenage Bottlerocket family tree.

Teenage Bottlerocket vs Human Robots is a fun little dose of family fun.  Human Robots showcases a bright future and zest for genre that begs the age old question, “nature or nurture.”  I’m inclined to believe it’s a healthy dose of both, as many offspring of seasoned punk band’s tend to release cringe worthy demo tapes around their sixteenth birthday and then just vanish into obscurity.  Teenage Bottlerocket and Human Robots go hand in hand; so let’s hope this split is the first of many.