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Bowling For Soup - A Hangover You Don't Deserve

One thing about Bowling For Soup is they’ll never claim to be any one thing within the music business.  They’re not running around saying their punk, nor are they saying they’re not.  After 10 years of being together and A Hangover You Don’t Deserve being the band’s seventh album, Bowling For Soup have their sound set in stone.

The first time I listened to Hangover, I thought to myself, “this could be the album that gets Bowling For Soup some recognition.”  A week later I heard “1985” on one of the local mega-pop radio stations, and we all know what kind of station I’m talking about, the ones that play Nelly right after Simple Plan and right before Lil’ John and the Eastside Boys.  For a split second I was mad, “Damn, how could BFS be on this station, but then it occurred to me, “why not?”  As I said before, BFS aren’t running around in black eyeliner claiming that their roots are in classic punk, but their music says something all together different.  They’ll be the first to admit that their music is pop and sure it’s meant for pop radio.

A Hangover You Don’t Deserve is as much fun as all the previous BFS experiences and as satirical as the overall album is, there’s still a level of maturity that they’ve attained with this one.  In some ways BFS reminds me of movies like Shrek, Toy Story and Shark Tale.  They’re movies that are meant for kids, but have so much “adult” humor in them that the movie can emotionally touch a grownup.  And that’s Bowling For Soup.

Thematically, nothing has changed with BFS’s lyrical content.  The songs are still about girls, getting drunk, girls, getting laid and girls, but BFS do it with so much tact.  They’re not singing sob stories about that special girl they lost or wallowing in depression, rather BFS get up, brush themselves off and make fun at the situation.  Jaret Reddick illustrates his patience with women on “Ohio (Come Back to Texas)” and the length of which he can keep a girl on “Next Ex-girlfriend.”

Another unique aspect about BFS is their ability to combine their Texan heritage with rock of all types.  Obviously each song on Hangover is littered with pop-punk infused leanings, but the band incorporates county and 80’s styles as well.  “Get Happy” is a quick moving track that gets the toes tapping, while “Ridiculous” is more of a ballad style song.

There’s not much to expect in the way of musical variety with BFS.  Their riffs are pop-rock-laced-pogo-at-will energy, while the drums add to the melodic enjoyment of each song.

For those who aren’t familiar with Bowling For Soup, A Hangover You Don’t Deserve is a great place to start.  It’s an accurate showcase of the bands humor, ability and maturity.  I give this album an 8.5 (out of 10).  It’s fantastic and packed with 17 songs that will make you smile for a few minutes at a time.  Oh, and be sure to hang on for the hidden track.

Suggested Listening: “Almost,” “Get Happy,” “Shut-up and Smile,” “My Hometown,” and “Down For the Count.”