Pop Punk Lettermen

The Varsity Weirdos
Can't Go Home
It's Alive Records, released March 23, 2010

These fine young men out of Canada are crafting some pretty quality tunes in the same vein as, but not a direct copy of, the Guts, the Leftovers and the Copyrights. As evidenced by tracks like "Wanted by the FBI" and "I Hate the Phone," they are at their best when they pick up the pace. Like many pop punk bands (I'm looking at you, Methadones, Mopes, etc.) they suffer on the mid tempo numbers. Stuff like that is really only good to show off how cleanliness of your production, but usually just ends up pulling the momentum of an album down. However, when they do connect, they are swinging for the fences. There are some excellent lead guitars and well executed backing vocals without an overdose of "Whoa, Ohs." Some of these tunes are just so catchy ("Cut Throat," "Disconnected") and, like many bands of their ilk, they have contagious lyrics with just a enough of a hint of pop culture to makes the choruses instantly memorable. The inclusion of early vinyl only tracks on the bonus disc is clutch, as it gives you some background and a little perspective on their development as a band. These cuts are a little rawer, a little more reminiscent of the the Lillingtons' early stuff. When the Riverdales played in Canada, the Varsity Weirdos were called upon to open and Can't Go Home was mastered by Mass Giorgini, both of which are more than appropriate. If the Weirdos can keep it together for another couple of albums, I think that we can look forward to some progressive pop punk, and not just the same Ramones clones over and over again. Catch these guys on their only scheduled U.S. date at the Insubordination Fest in Baltimore, last weekend in June, where they will be joined by the creme de la creme of pop punk from all over the world for a two day extravaganza.

If you find your interest piqued by the Varsity Weirdos, please make your way on over to It's Alive's website and check out some of the other work they have released. Certainly, most of the bands on the label worship at the altar of '90's Lookout stuff, but there is a variety of methods of delivery between most of the bands. Varsity Weirdos is probably in the top five acts on the label, but they have enough artists to keep you busy for a little while finding your personal diamond in the rough. Even though some of their stuff is vinyl only, they always offer a either a cd-r or, more recently, a digital download so you have that shit in your itunes library. Enjoy!

the Varsity Weirdos
It's Alive Records
Insubordination Fest