Home > Music > CD Review > The Presidents of the United States of America, 'These Are the Good Times People'

The Presidents of the United States of America, 'These Are the Good Times People'

More snarky novelty rock? If you don't like it, you can 'Lump' it

By Jeff Miller

Special to Metromix
March 10, 2008

Critic's Rating:

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Backstory: Your favorite nostalgia novelty rockers (“Peaches,” “Lump”) return with their fifth full length, another ode to the silly (“Ghosts Are Everywhere”) and, well, the silly (“Truckstop Butterfly”).

Why you should care: How sick are you of self-important bands who cry about their “art?” PUSA's unabashedly always known its place in the rock sphere, and just a look at “guit-bassist” Chris Ballew's cartoony bald head is enough to convince you that the more things change, the more they stay the same.

Verdict: There's no “Peaches” or even a “Mach 5” on here, but longtime fans will absolutely still respond to the quick-paced, music lovin' “Poor Turtle” and the more-cowbell-errific “So Lo So Hi.” Sure, the songs are predictable, and the forays into more serious territory don't work that well (“Loose Balloon,” an acoustic, Death Cab–ish ballad, falls especially flat), but the smile that Ballew sings through sells even the most ridiculous trifles, even if they're ultimately nothing more than super-fun ear candy.

X-Factor: The video for the first single, “Mixed Up SOB,” was directed by fellow audio prankster “Weird” Al Yankovic.