I've always wondered when "classic" albums first came out how people reacted to them. For the most crucial bands it seems people fell in love with the music after the band broke up. Spinning on my record player is what will become a "classic". It's made of black vinyl. Nothing about it visually separates it from any other 7". But once the needle hits the wax, my ears receive musical fellatio of multiple orgasms without the cleanup.
The Abi Yoyos combine the punk rock sounds of Dead Kennedys with more progressive styles of King Crimson with a Phil Ochs underlying acoustic vibe with political lyrics with an acoustic guitar being played around a camp fire. All while rocking a steamboat in the middle of a Floridian swamp how I imagine Creedence Clearwater Revival would. With so many good bands mentioned you might expect something gargantuan. Thankfully This World Is Not My Home doesn't disappoint with seven inches of Matt Bleyle strumming out everything he listened to for the past three years. Just don't let the slow jam 50s dance part at the end of "Bohemian Grove" confuse you.
Generally the rhythm sections of punk bands can be looked over and nothing will be missed. The Abi Yoyos drummer, Blaine Patrick, is something that you don't want to look over. All of his beats are super full sounding whether slow or fast. He's the Bay Area's best and most underrated punk drummer. Jeff Mitchell's bass playing takes a less center stage approach with less fancy, more accentuating notes.
Continuing the flow of good sounds, Shawn Mehrens both sings and screams lyrics written by Bleyle. The choruses are sung in a way where the words and melodies forge their way into your brain. The screams sound like someone in a fit of insanity attempting to convince everybody they are sane. There's a snotty lining to Mehrens' whelps which fit the lyrics very well. Take these from "Xenophobia" for example: Destroy their communities, until they look like me / Afraid - of the underpaid / Scared - of the financially impaired / Frightened - cry out with all my might and / Scream - just get to get it away. But instead of screaming to get it away, it seems like Mehrens is screaming to bring your attention to it.
So if you like punk rock but are tired of the same old thing, The Abi Yoyos is your new jam. Without sounding like Against Me, I feel like I'll listen to this 7" just as much as Crime As Forgiven By with that acoustic/punk feel. We can only hope the next record will arrive before 2010.
