Pittsburgh’s Cynics, are one of America’s longest-running—and greatest—garage bands. Punk Pop done right since 1983 and now they add some power pop into the mix with the newest album “Here We Are.” Like other true garage acts, The Fuzztones, or The Chesterfield Kings, they take a hint from the great bands of the past and keep the punk DIY spirit alive. Like label mates The Ugly Beats, they add just enough pop to the stew to keep me interested. Gregg Kostelich has kept The Cynics a tightly tuned machine here, with the title track opener a nice mid tempo folk rock tune that could’ve fallen off the Nuggets box set. Then the fuzz-toys come out for the Chocolate Watchband-like “Coming Round My Way.” Amazing still is “The Ring” a song that is the Small Faces reincarnated and would fit nicely on “Odgen’s Nut Gone Flake.” A wonderful Byrdsian guitar based “Me Wanting Her” follows that and is the poppiest Cynics track I have ever heard. The track “Slide Over” complete with harmonica accents is like a lost Beau Brummels track. But things then get heavier with “Hard To Please.” The true spirit of power pop punk is in the track “What She Said” and my favorite track here. Michael Kastelic’s vocals are a refined rooty howl and fit the songs perfectly. It ends out nicely with the ballad “Courtney” (a poem about Cortney Love?) and although every song has great energy and are played with swagger, something is missing. Most of the choruses don’t have that neat pop-harmony hook and that’s my only caveat here. On the other hand, most really good punk music doesn’t need it and if you’re looking for tracks to be played loud and with killer rythym and beats look no further.
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Listen to “What She Said”
