The Sidekicks- Runners in the Nerved World Album Review
The Sidekicks released their debut album So Long, Soggy Dog back in 2007 on Red Scare Industries, a label known for putting acts such as Masked Intruder, Teenage Bottlerocket and The Mezingers onto listeners’ indie/punk rock radar. The debut was a solid release of catchy orgcore* punk songs. In 2009, Weight of Air saw the band shed some of their punk rock baby fat, and separate themselves from the sea of orgcore bands that began to define the modern punk rock scene. They continued this growth well into their third record, Awkward Breeds an indie/punk rock record that saw the band finally grow into their own sound. Awkward Breeds quickly became a 2012 favorite for many listeners. So where does a band that has released a record that is largely well reviewed within its musical community go next?
Usually, straight down the creative toilet.
Most bands will lose muster trying to recapture past success, but not The Sidekicks. The success of Awkward Breeds attracted the attention of Epitaph Records. After signing onto the independent staple, the band then chose to work with indie/alternative producer Phil Ek (of Built to Spill and Band of Horses fame), to push their sound even further. Runners in the Nerved World is a heavily textured jangle pop record, powered by punk rock intent and sensibility. The band clearly set out with that specific sound in mind when they chose Phil Ek, (a choice that the band described as a dream come true) as influence from those bands are very present on this record.
The spacy synth opening quickly cut by the drums on “Hell Is Warm” helps to set this change for Runners. From the get go, a listener is pretty aware that there is no tip-toeing around this new sound; it’s a straight dive without any indication of falling back on familiarity. Second track “Everything in Twos” is probably the closest the band comes to revisiting their heavy pop punk guitar based roots. From single “Jesus Christ Supermalls” to the slow-trudging tremolo closer “All Things Run,” this is just a collection of 12 catchy, reflective jangle pop songs that all work well together.
What makes this record fit in with the rest of the bands catalog, while being so drastically different is that they managed to hold on to the things that really sold Awkward Breeds. The catchy melodies, passive punk rock anger and Steve Ciolek’s sweet, higher register voice are still present. What’s changed is the way the instrumentation presents itself. Ciolek and Toby Reif’s guitar work is more about supporting the vocal melody through spacey textures than pounding distorted riffs and power chords, like the bands earlier work. In accordance with these sonic changes, Ryan Starinsky (Bass) and Matt Climer’s (Drums) rhythm section has toned down the heavy punk rock hits for softer pop beats that still effectively drive the songs. Though the backdrop has changed, the band’s songwriting and understanding of good melodies remains as exciting as any great punk rock record.
Lyrically, the album is a little hard to pinpoint without having the lyrics in front of you. Although it’s one of the genre’s mainstays, the production makes it a little difficult to understand what Ciolek is singing. The album seems to largely be about modern corporate American city landscapes, personal reflections and nostalgia. The first of those three is mostly apparent on “Hell is Warm” and “Jesus Christ Supermalls,” wheareas, “Blissfield, MI” and “Summer Brings You Closer to Satan” deal with more personal fare. A standout lyric is, “Pets” which is sung from the point of view of a dog (although people will probably analyze that to make it about something else, and usually I’d agree. I’m pretty sure this is about a dog.)
Last year, our jangle hearts were stolen by Alvvays’ self-titled debut record. Though it’s early in the year, it’s not hard to believe that this album could take a similar place. It’s a welcome debut on a bigger label, and proof that the band's much applauded last effort wasn’t the best they had to offer. One could argue that Runners in the Nerved World shows that The Sidekicks are only just getting started.
*new words my editor told me no one would know: -orgcore: a newer style of punk that combines elements of beards, folk, emo and shoegaze with punk rock. Some better-known orgcore bands include Against Me!, The Lawrence Arms, Nothington and Dillinger Four. I don’t know where the name comes from, but it sounds gross.
Standout Tracks: The Kid Who Broke His Wrist, Blissfield, MI and Deer
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