This band has now gained a level of recognition that extends beyond the boundaries of punk rock, making every word about them seem unnecessary. Since 1995, they have been delighting us with cover versions and successfully haunting the scene with their own (main) bands. And the Gimme Gimmes have definitely found success with their concept of exclusively covering songs with an all-star band. More than a million albums sold are on the books, not to mention thousands of virtual friends, etc. So what can we expect from this now seventh full-length album? Have they finally reinvented the wheel? No, that can’t really be said. In fact, they haven’t even released their seventh album here; instead, they’ve dug up the old gems that didn’t fit on the first one because they were just too good for the data nirvana. So far, so nice, yes, it’s a nice album. Who once said that nice is the little brother of shit? Not me, at least. Nevertheless, in the end, it remains a copy of the last albums with different songs; let’s say it feels a bit lacking in juice and power. There’s a crucial bit of power missing, the final push. The vocals come across too tame, and overall, it’s all quite radio-friendly. Yes, hello, it says punk rock in big letters, so I want that too. Admittedly, some songs do move forward nicely and are somewhat convincing, but not completely. The self-proclaimed ultimate punk rock supergroup (what a word) interprets the songs just so-so, sometimes a bit faster, sometimes a little more intense, with the vocals always nicely in the melodic arc. Given that the original material by the guys is considered the best pop songs of their respective era, I think there’s potential that has been wasted. But like all albums before, those who love the Gimmes will continue to do so, and gritty types like me will probably never measure up to the smooth Americans. For a better opinion formation, here are the songs they’ve put through the wringer: Rich Girl, The Boxer (not bad), Country Roads (I really can’t hear it anymore, a crappy original, and the umpteenth cover version doesn’t make the song any better), I write songs, Sodomy (thumbs up), You’ve got a friend (lalalalalalalala – heyho let’s go), Mahogany, Mother and Child Reunion (yeah, that’s something), Only the good die young, Coming to America, The harder they come, Don’t let the sun go down on me (ah yes, nice nice). So, that’s it. The vinyl comes with the complete CD, which I commend. If your mouth is watering now, I can only recommend checking out the label page for more information, as the album has been available here since July. There should also be info and sound samples on the Gimme Gimmes page.
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