Top Drawer (2019)
The final full length Sicko album, You Are Not The Boss Of Me, came out in 1997. Ever since then, it feels like there's been something of an eMpTiness. A missing piece of music that I had been able to count on for the prior few years. As far as American pop punk goes, my favorite bands were Mr. T Experience, Zoinks and Sicko. By 1998, Sicko broke up, Zac left Zoinks and the Mr. T Experience wasn't making records that I really liked that much anymore.
My interest in overseas bands was already reaching a fever pitch and with the essential disappearance of my three favorites from America, I pretty much figured pop punk was something I'd have to find outside of the states. There have been exceptions over the years, but for the most part this has remained true for me. Japan and the UK have long housed my favorite bands that play hooked filled, loud guitar punk rock.
It's 2019 and Ean from Sicko has released an album with his new band The Subjunctives. This isn't the first time that I've listened to a new Ean band. I've always liked most of his output. Tales From The Birdbath had some wonderful songs and the more recent Date Night With Brian also produced some real hits. But, those bands didn't scratch that Sicko itch, they tended to lean a little more to the indie rock side of things, which is fine by me, I like good indie rock too. Then came the Subjunctives. Ean playing pop fucking punk. I love it.
The Subjunctives are definitely going to get Sicko comparisons. It's impossible for them not to. While the Subjunctives have a similar energy and knack for killer hooks, sonically they also share a similar space with Sugar. The warm, crunchy guitar sound is one that Mr. Mould would be proud of and the songs, in general, are a tad slower than what Sicko cranked out. To their benefit. As Ean and Co. tell tales of growing older and the joyful tedium of day to day life, the music is perfect. Fast where it needs to be (No one is going to accuse "Waste My Time" of being a slow song), but finding that perfect upper mid tempo groove needed to spin their yarns.
Ean doesn't sing every song on the album (the ones he doesn't are also fun and a nice change of pace), but he does handle the lion's share. This is easily my favorite post-Sicko Ean project. Combine this with the fantastic songs that Denny and Josh are cranking out with their band, The Drolls, and for the first time in a while, I'm not mourning the loss of Sicko. I'm excited about what everyone is working on now and planning for the future. Though it doesn't hurt that Sicko reunion shows are happening from time to time. They help scratch that Sicko itch as well.
The Subjunctives - Sunshine and Rainbows:
https://thesubjunctives.bandcamp.com/album/sunshine-and-rainbows
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