You might remember the Presidents of the United States of America as the guys behind the alternative radio hits Lump"" and ""Peaches"" back in the mid-1990s. But in spite of their two-hit wonder status, the Presidents have continued to write pop-rock songs, and their newest release, _These Are the Good Times People_, is their best since their 1995 debut.
The Seattle-based Presidents have a knack for creating songs that get stuck in your head and while defying the limitations of the band's instruments. Playing a modified two-string ""basitar,"" front man Chris Ballew excitedly belts out tracks about the Presidents' common themes of animals and common themes of animals and romance, thankfully never at the same time. These are the Good Times People boasts the official addition of Andrew McKeag as their new master of the three-string ""guitbass"" after an extended stint as part of the band's live show.
These Are the Good Times People_ opens with the album's first single, ""Mixed Up S.O.B.,"" an ode to a misanthrope delivered with surprising energy and tight harmonies that set the tone for the rest of the album. On ""Mixed Up S.O.B."" and tracks like ""Ladybug,"" ""Poor Turtle"" and the cowbell-driven ""So Lo So Hi,"" the band stay true to their past work, cranking out hooks while keeping their lyrics pleasantly simple.
But elsewhere on the album, the Presidents expand their style and show they are ready to grow musically, even if they remain firmly grounded in pop. _These Are the Good Times People_ is the first Presidents album to feature a horn section. This addition adds depth and vibrancy to songs like ""Sharpen Up Those Fangs,"" which begins as a relatively catchy track but is taken to near-perfection with lively trumpets layered over the harmonies.
The the horn section also drives the album's two standout tracks, ""Deleter"" and ""Flame is Love.""
""Flame is Love"" and ""Deleter."" ""Flame Is Love"" is a slick, rockabilly-infused toe-tapper, reminiscent of the Reverend Horton Heat, and bright backing horns throughout give the image of a swinging 1930s dance hall - or at least a slick, zoot-suited bandleader.
Meanwhile ""Deleter"" is the album's best track. Perhaps still unconfident about the band's stylistic expansion, the Presidents unwisely passed it over as the first single and relegated it to the very end of the album. With Ballew joined by nu-jazz singer and fellow Seattleite Fysah Thomas on vocals, ""Deleter"" is a frenzied, danceable jam that makes you wish strutting your way to class was socially acceptable.
With ""Deleter"" and other tracks leading the way toward a new sound, and the rest of the album perfecting their established style, the Presidents' new album is a big step in the right direction. By taking some chances, the Presidents may have finally figured out how to return to commercial success and achieve the widespread respect they deserve.
