Stickup Kid
The Sincerest Form of Flattery
Better Day Records (2011)
Sounds Like: A Title Fight and Turnover high five
Score: 9/10
Stickup Kid, the young, energetic quartet hailing from San Jose, CA, managed to do two things in releasing The Sincerest Form of Flattery. They put together an album that not only merits attention because of how well composed, dynamic and raw it is, but they also further convinced me of what I had already been thinking: that 2011 is an incredible year for pop/punk.
These kids are going to surprise a lot of people with TSFOF simply because of how polished it sounds for a band this young. One of the most attractive aspects of this album is the pace it holds from beginning to end. It’s fun and fast while still being melodic and meaningful. Stickup Kid blends the intricacy and live spirit of Such Gold with the catchy effect that bands like Title Fight showcase in their songs.
There’s a prominent sense of angst and longing throughout the album and the band expresses these feelings well in back-to-back tracks The Oceanwalker and Louisville. The topics of the songs range from individuality and refusing to become a clone in the lead-off tune Helga’s Makeover, to relationships and heartache in Powerbomb Compliments of Captain Insano, to self-realization in Wyandotte County Lake and You’re Killing Me Smalls.
The only fault I could find about TSFOF was that it is 11 songs in length, but it feels like eight. Maybe it’s just me being selfish, but I wish the songs were a little longer. Other than that, The Sincerest Form of Flattery is a twenty-five minute gem put together by Stickup Kid, a young pop/punk band you need to listen to. It has more jams than NBA All-Star weekend, trust me. Add this to the long list of quality albums released in 2011.
You can buy The Sincerest Form of Flattery on CD, tape, or digital download from the Better Day Records website.
-Felipe Garcia
No Comments