High fidelity gets a bad rap in punk rock. One of the best things about the first wave of punk in the 1970s was its conscious move away from glossy, glassy-eyed studio slickness in favor of the organic sound of a band in a room bashing away, but the often mediocre audio of key punk documents like the first albums from the
Ramones
and
the Clash
taught the unintended lesson that a good punk record was supposed to be rough not only in terms of performance but also in recording quality.
Mikey Erg
has made more than his share of mid-fidelity punk albums, as a solo artist and with his bands
the Ergs
,
Star Fucking Hipsters
, and
Short Attention
, but 2022's
Love at Leeds
has a leg up on the majority of his work, and he owes some thanks to
Steve Albini
for that.
Erg
cut the album at
Albini
's Electrical Audio studio, with the noted engineer and gadfly at the controls, and it's that rare
album that sounds just as good as it deserves. Working with guitarist
Jeff Rosenstock
, bassist
Alex Clute
, and drummer
Lou Hanman
has put together a band that serves his musical thinking brilliantly, drawing from the muscular force of American punk and the punchy sweep of
the Who
. They make the most of his songs, unpretentious but urgent journal entries of a thirtysomething's life that speak of joy, disappointment, and awe at life's mysteries with energy and a surprising precision, along with effective melodies and some killer hooks. So
had all the ingredients at his disposal for a great album, and the uncluttered, forceful tone of
's recording is the icing on the cake that bumps everything up a notch. This is a grade-A punk rock band playing with abundant fire and commitment. On
, you can also hear all the details of the performance, and the deeper you listen, the better and more impressive it all sounds. This is an album that feels good and sounds good, and every bit of sweat and commitment
and his compatriots put into it is on display and easy to appreciate.
has been making pop-punk for more than two decades now, and
is proof that he's as good at this stuff as anyone with a guitar in 2022. Turn it up -- it's better that way. ~ Mark Deming