Snappy Little Numbers (2024)
Five Years after a 12" EP, Bad Year are back. As I mentioned last time I wrote about them, if you're naming yourselves after one of my favorite Sicko songs, there's a better than average chance I'm going to be into what you're doing. And I am into Bad Year. While they don't really sound like Sicko, you can hear the influence as the band builds off of that.
I tend to think they sound more like something from the No Idea roster of the 2000s. There's that fleeting base of a Leatherface sound, with gruff, but still melodic vocals. Off With Their Heads a bit maybe, Dear Landlord is probably closer, but it's a sound that doesn't strike me as being too dissimilar from bands like that, but with those big Sicko influenced hooks.
The entire record is really strong all the way through, particularly in a year that hasn't been very giving with this kind of punk rock. If I were to point to a single song to check out to get a vibe of what this band is all about, I'd recommend "Idle Hands." It's got a great chorus and that catchy, but energetic sound that is a common thread in the punk rock that I tend to like the best. This was an album that was on my top records of the year list for 2024, I just wasn't able to get this write up posted before that. Regardless of when this is read, Snappy Little Numbers has a winner once again.
Bad Year - Bad Year:
https://snappylittlenumbers.bandcamp.com/album/s-t-sln-254
