The Acro-Brats
“Kicking & Screaming”
(Susspool)
The Acro-brats somehow manage to mix a myriad of influences that probably shouldn’t fit together into something that seems perfectly natural. For the most part, the album is a straightforward, rockin’ pop-punk opus. Mix the Joneses with a bit of the Ramones and a decent dose of 70s glam, and even a bit of 80s glam and you get a decent idea. I’m not sure if that sums it up – maybe a little metal and country too.
The songs are catchy and at times straddle the fence between old-school and new-school punk, but never really seem to fall on either side, which is a good thing. There’s a nice mix of creative instrumentation and three-chord rock that keeps you listening and bobbing your head. Being able to capture the energy of a live show while taking full advantages of the opportunities that a studio offers is one of the most difficult things to do while recording. The Acro-brats have managed to combine the two nicely with this album. The bottom line: it’s a fun album.
