Glaring Omission!

Truth: We may collectively be a quarter of the way through the no longer nascent year. However, there is a late addition to the party that is referred to by some as the Most Anticipated Albums of 2009.

I know when Nick, Ryan and I posted our respective albums that we could not wait to hear for '09, many immediately recognized the one album that was suspiciously absent on all three lists.

I, of course, am referring to Sandwich, the upcoming sophomore release by the band Psychostick.

Any album named Sandwich deserves some sort of acknowledgment based on title alone, whether it be an abrasive cold shoulder or giddy open-armed embrace. We are sincerely hoping that the latter will come true come May 5th.

At this point of the article, one may reflect inwardly and ask oneself: "What the fuck is this pretentious cunt talking about?"

Look, if We Couldn't Think of a Title, Psychostick's debut LP, is any type of barometer for what to expect, then there really is no reason not to be a little excited. I'll explain. Psychostick is not quite the beacon of ubiquity in any genre, big or small. But, these guys are pretty fucking funny. The humor is not terribly complex or anything, but they elicit involuntary laughter time and time again. Personally, the three of us have realized that the band pretty much is exactly like us, but actually musically talented. On one song, they bemoan the labors of laundry. On another, they take us on a joyride through the entire alphabet highway (no rest stops either, those are for pussies.) "BEER!!!" is pretty self-explanatory in nature, as it simply celebrates the pros and cons of the popular hops-based alcoholic beverage. Any guy can relate to the universality of "Scrotal Torment," with its thrash metal-sounding beat reminiscent of speedy, severe scrotum scratching. Similarly, "Throwin' Down" details how sometimes, let's be real, girls' logic is a bit shaky and ridiculous. "Two Ton Paperweight" is an affectionate title applied to the singer's "piece of shit" car. "Prozak Milkshake" is an overall satire on 96% of all depressio-rock garbage on commercial radio. In fact, lead man Rob "Rawrb!" Kersey eerily sounds a lot like Aaron Lewis from Staind in the verses that describe why he's depressed. There's a bit of ribbing in the direction of Disturbed, with the "DIE DIE WHORE DIE" part reminiscent of "Down with the Sickness", coupled with random vocalized non-sequitirs like "Who farted?"

The songs are pretty funny, yes, but the band is pretty talented. The bass easily stands out as just straight ridiculous, with awesome bass slaps throughout the album that are just plain good. The band's overall sound is a bit hardcoreish, but not offensive to the ears really. Wikipedia describes them as humorcore and hardcore punk. That's not too bad. But musically, they are pretty legit, and they have some breakdowns that would make actual serious bands envious.

They're certainly not masters of either craft, but they combine them both decently and the result is a fun, funny band that obviously do not take themselves seriously at all despite being musically talented. Sandwich boasts twenty-plus tracks such as the paradoxical "This Is Not A Song, It's A Sandwich," the inquisitive "Metal?", "Grocery Escape Plan," "Too Many Food," "Don't Eat My Food," "The Hunger Within" (yes, a bit of a food theme as the album name suggests), and the eagerly anticipated sequel to "BEER!!!" We'll probably review it when it leaks/comes out. No promises, though, considering the blog is fledgling and rarely updated.

UPDATE! (4/5) Sandwich has leaked!!!1

Myspace: Psychostick