By Keith Walsh
From Ohio comes a talented punk rock band Neon Straightjackets, with a fun single and the excessively stylized title “$#!7CANNED.” The four-minute track features the expansive guitars of 90s grunge, with the catchy pop beats of 80s power pop. The bass, guitars, and vocals are superbly melodic, and the drums bright and consistent.
Previously operating as a trio, Neon Straightjackets are now a quartet, with Larry Stahl on lead vocals and guitars, Johnny Hopkins on guitar, Mikey Cramer on bass and vox, and Colton Lloyd on vox and drums. The composition is credited to the band, while production is done expertly by Kevin Mendenhall. The production aesthetic is pristine, while the lyrical message is playful in the form of 80s punk, when an impressive tune could be recorded on basic analog equipment.
“$#!7CANNED.” is from Neon Straighjacket’s debut LP, Ex-Girlfriends and Ecstasy, coming April 15.
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