Bad jobs, loneliness, boredom, the phoniness of others, love and its associated problems: such is the subject matter on this primo collection of power-pop gems. If you’re a teen, or merely stuck in that rebellious teen mindset (it can last a lifetime, you know), this is one you can rock along to, singing loud if need be. If you like melodic post-grunge, punk-pop with guitars often loud enough to annoy the neighbors, it’s time to expand your world beyond Blink-182 and Lit (and Green Day before them) and discover this trio.

But don’t be fooled into thinking that the DumDums are no more than a dressed up British version of labelmates Blink-182. In truth, they display a nice range of variety in this very likeable disc. Principal songwriter and guitarist/vocalist Josh Doyle is capable of handling a softer edge when not sawing out the rougher-hewn punk songs. “When My Ship Comes In” is one such example, expertly showing how to build from a romantic ballad into a harder edged sound then back again, all in the course of three and a half minutes. “Army of Two,” the group’s last single off the CD, is a softer, slower tempo examination of love’s promises, again showing that Doyle can handle pop genres beyond the upbeat guitar-driven sound.
The jazzy “Lonely Hearts Company” is a pleasant little ditty in the manner of the Kinks, showing a little more of Doyle’s songwriting diversity.

But boy can the DumDums do pleasantly fetching songs that stick with you awhile. Doyle, bassist Steve Clarke and drummer Stuart “Baxter” Wilkinson do a fine job of condensing life in this new millennium into radio-length bites that each defy the next in terms of catchiness. It’s hard for me to pick favorites - they’re all good, and there’s even a hidden track beyond the final of the twelve listed songs. “Everything” screams single from first listen, but then again so does “Cant Get You Out of my Mind,” “The Kind of Day I Had,” “Killing Me With Kindness,” or “You Do Something To Me.”

The group started playing together in the late 90s and became a tight live act, connecting with audiences in the U.K. that led to four hits from this, their one and only CD. Yes, folks, the sad news posted on their website as of July 30, 2001 by Josh Doyle relates that the DumDums have agreed to part ways after achieving their goals of playing Wembley arena, going on a world tour and awakening/corrupting youthful minds to the idea of questioning everything. Rather than stagnate in a musical form destined to “burn brightly and disappear,” Doyle and his mates have agreed to go their own ways from here in pursuit of more challenging and exciting musical directions.

It’s a mature decision, both admirable and surprising, considering the success the band has achieved with this one CD. However, it does make one more than a little curious to watch and see what happens next.

Luckily, their website promises to remain up in order to provide the latest news of these musical careers as they develop. Even more fortunate for the general public is the legacy they leave with this CD of fine fun music. If you haven’t yet discovered the catchy musical pleasures and modern teen rebel spirit of It Goes Without Saying, do yourself a favor and get a copy: a good musical time is guaranteed for all.

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Treble Charger
Wide Awake Bored

(Nettwerk)

www.nettwerk.com
www.treblecharger.com

Release Date: April 24, 2001

Last month while traveling through Canada, I happened to catch a nice live performance on Much Music (their MTV-type channel) from Treble Charger and immediately resolved to come back and let more people know more about this group and their superb collection of songs that comprise Wide Awake Bored. In Canada, the CD has recently gone platinum and the Treble Charger lads are popular teen favorites. Back in the U.S however, they remain relatively under-appreciated by some and virtually unknown to others (but let’s see what we can do about that).

In this, their fourth album, what you get is a bunch of music that is fun, solidly written and performed, though not necessarily earth-shaking. Eleven straightforward songs here: all enjoyable, mostly traditional guitar-driven tunes with many a radio-friendly hook among them, often seeming like adjuncts to Blink-182 or DumDums (see above) or Green Day, at other times more like Foo Fighters, for whom they opened during a recent Canadian tour, or melodic pop/rock groups like Posies or Sloan. Yet the lyrics often belie the simplicity of the memorable and instantly familiar tunes, in a manner that demands a closer listen.

“American Psycho,” their monster single up north, ironically seemed to escape notice in America itself. The song is a nice post-grunge power pop examination of empty celebrity attainment, with biting accusatory lyrics: “Now I know how far you’d go/ to be the next freak show/ American Psycho/ cover of the magazines/ patron saint to troubled teens/ wish I’d never heard your name.” The intelligent lyrics elevate this song far above the realm of your usual teen pop single, while the clever tune keeps it airborne.

“Brand New Low” opens the CD with a confession of love’s seemingly endless complications and pathos, accompanied by tasty guitar licks that build to a catchy chorus. It asks the musical questions “I want to know / have I gone too far / have I sunk to a brand new low? / And I want to know / if I’ve gone too far / ‘cause I’ve lost all my self control.” Haven’t we all been there at one time or another, asking those same questions? Okay, well at least I’m admitting I have.

Picking a best song out of this collection proves a difficult task, as they really each have their own relative merits. “Favorite Worst Enemy” is another upbeat examination of the ever-moving line between love and hate, a song that seems familiar and friendly at first listen, while “Funny” explores the rocky terrain of how relationships can change over time and “Business” deals with communication issues. But while Treble Charger finds many ways to express the intricacies of relationships, both positive and negative, within the confines of intelligent power-pop, they also dare to occasionally venture beyond the norm. “Just What They Told Me” is a somber melodic ballad that lyrically examines the cracks and fissures beneath the exteriors of a “lovely life.”

The appealing vocals and guitar licks of Greig Nori and Bill Priddle (who also does keyboards) drive most of these songs forward, but the bass of Rosie Martin and Trevor Macgregor’s drums form a solid platform from which the guitars and vocals spiral out. Even what I saw live was impressive - the band is tight even when forced to stumble around a studio stage with a herd of kids dancing goofily all around them. In the end, it’s the music and the lyrics that make Wide Awake Bored worth your while, song after song.

“Cheat Away” is another song one might dismiss as mere catchy pop/rock, yet it is a musical goodbye wherein lyrics look down a tunnel without seeing the light, offering the following advice: “Say goodbye and find a place you’ll keep / hidden somewhere cold and deep / Don’t disappoint us all and cheat away your time.” You won’t be cheating away your time with Wide Awake Bored. Hear what our Canadian neighbors already recognize: Treble Charger is that rare combination of pop/rock that appeals to both head and heart. By all means, check it out.

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