With the billion or so punk subgenres and comeback cycles, it’s interesting to me that more bands aren’t playing this style of Crimpshrine-inspired East Bay punk. Popstar by Bad Idols is crunchy yet melodic. It’s generally pop-structured but with gruff and deeply personal lyrics. Let’s just say the word “I” is prevalent throughout this 12-song record. I’ll also add that I’m a big fan of this style, so it’s a welcome addition to my rotation. It’s not as lo-fi or rough around the edges as Crimpshrine, but it’s also not as clean and shiny as latter-era Fifteen.
Themes through Popstar involve broken friendships, mental health, family and self-analysis, set to the tone of working class musicians who are struggling to get by and struggling to maintain healthy relationships. It’s equally angry at the world and angry at oneself, neatly summed up in the aptly named song “Terrible As I Seem,” which begs that exact question: “Am I as terrible as I seem?”
While crunchy but singalong punk is the core tone here, the band mixes it up nicely. “Former Friend” is heavily rhythmic; the drums really lead the way on the fierce “Until Then;” dynamic shifts give a range of emotion in “No Surprise;” and the band even throws in a few ska songs. On first listen, the ska seemed abrupt. But on repeated listening, those tonal changeups are really effective at giving this record more balance than the East Bay classics in the style. The backbeats lighten the mood, sonically, in contrast to the dense cynicism. This record is definitely a grower and it has just the right balance of finger pointing, reflection, and heart without getting too bogged down by pessimism or drama.
