Rather than delve into the history books and deep cuts of Naked Raygun’s discography, I’m mostly going to focus on the present in this take on Over The Overlords, Naked Raygun’s latest -- and their first full-length since 1990 (their sixth overall). The heavily influential Chicago band was born in 1980, disbanded in 1991, and been in semi-active reunion mode since 2006. The current lineup features Jeff Pezzati, Eric Spicer, Bill Stephens, and Fritz Doreza replacing Pierre Kezdy (who plays bass on the record but passed away following its completion).
For a band that formed 41 years ago and hasn’t released a new LP in three decades, the record is surprisingly exactly what I expected. They have released a couple of EPs since reforming, and Over The Overlords mostly follows that mid-tempo, soaring punk. It’s less angsty than their early work, but it’s still fierce, strong and emotively charged. I find it almost subtly sadistic, with bright bursts that mask darker messages. Vocalist Jeff Pezzati has been the core member over the years and his vocal style makes the band easily identifiable.
There are 17 tracks on this record -- or 15, if you don’t count the two bonus tracks slapped at the end. Or maybe it’s fewer, as an intro/outro and a couple addition interludes occur throughout. Anyway, the style is generally melodic hardcore. Songs like “Living In The Good Times,” “Superheroes” and “Amishes” carry the band’s traditional call to action meets whoa-oh sound. But the album is nicely varied and textured, with slower contemplative jams, moody tones, and guitar-driven tracks too. “Superheroes” is an ass-shaking singalong with positive vibes. Then a few songs after, “Suicide Bomb” is dystopian and moving, followed by the almost desperate “Broken Things.” While I usually don't care for interludes, they're short here and they do help complete the atmosphere. The record is well sequenced to tell a tale that’s dark and miserable, but refreshingly potent. This isn’t a heartless, money-grab reunion. It’s an album about the need for resilience and resurrection during troubled times. It’s an album for the present.
Over The Overlords is a grower, which also came as no surprise. Everything Pezzati has released works that way for me. While it’s melodic punk in genre, there are subtle post-punk tones that make the music more atmospheric and tonal rather than building everything over a catchy chorus. It’s punk, but it’s also complex and thoughtful, which means it takes a little longer to seep into the listener’s consciousness -- and it also seeps in a little deeper, leaving a lasting impression, because of this.
Over The Overlords is a complete album. This is why I find the bonus tracks annoying. Bookended with the intro/outro, Naked Raygun has achieved a powerful collection here -- and then a remix and a live song play, seemingly at random. Are they good? Yes. But why here? I thought we all agreed (before Raygun even reunited) that CD bonus tracks are silly.
Update: The bonus tracks originally appeared on a double album limited release.
