This is the best punk-pop album you haven’t heard this year

The cover of Liquid Mike's Paul Bunyan's Sling Shot album

(Image credit: Liquid Mike)

We’ve come a long way with the whole punk-pop thing. In the UK in the 80s, punk-pop was what we called Mega City Four and the Senseless Things – a buncha thrill-seeking nutjobs who loved a catchy chorus.

Then we let the Americans have a go.

They were great at it! There were yer Green Days and Rancids, plus all the Replacements/Husker Du influenced lot, bringing country influences or Stonesy rock or power pop. It was a good time: no-nonsense riffing, mad drumming, great tunes, no fat.

Those guys met some heavy metal dudes and they made grunge! Bonus!

Somewhere along the line, though, punk pop became a bunch of insufferable whiny frat boys who – it turned out – had more interest in sexually-harassing teenage girls than they did a working knowledge of the Ramones, Buzzcocks, Undertones, Descendents etc.

Which was, like, contrary to the job description.

So punk-pop was toxic for a while. Bands like Busted and McFly made a family-friendly version, neutered and smiley, the soundtrack to kids TV shows: energetic fluff.

So I haven’t been paying much attention for a while. Turns out it’s the perfect time to check-in. Michigan band Liquid Mike’s fifth album in three years, Paul Bunyan’s Slingshot, is one of the greatest albums of the year.

Liquid Mike takes it back to the 90s, with songs about small-town life – the universal themes that have plagued 20-somethings for centuries, like buying drugs and goofing like a dick because there’s no jobs and what’s the point anyway now that the girl you had a crush on fucked off to college.

Each song is a snapshot of American life ( “Summertime 2009/We were playing the choking game/There was nothing else to do.” “Talk or screw/We can’t think of anything that’s new” “I got older but act the same” etc) and the songs are fast(ish) and riffy and over before you get bored with them – which means you NEVER get bored with them!

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It’s a mix of killer melodies, disillusionment, heartbreak and nihilism that’s as timeless as Nirvana and reminds me of the Lemonheads’ It’s A Shame About Ray (and might be as good as Lovey, which is high praise).

Mike himself is a postman who is also in an AC/DC tribute band. I wish him all the success in the world and also, at the same time, maybe, no success at all so that he continues to make records like this.

That’s mean, I know, but on the other hand, I don’t think it made Evan Dando very happy.

Paul Bunyan’s Slingshot is available to buy and stream from their Bandcamp page

Scott is the Content Director of Music at Future plc, responsible for the editorial strategy of online and print brands like Louder, Classic Rock, Metal Hammer, Prog, Guitarist, Guitar World, Guitar Player, Total Guitar etc. He was Editor in Chief of Classic Rock magazine for 10 years and Editor of Total Guitar for 4 years and has contributed to The Big Issue, Esquire and more. Scott wrote chapters for two of legendary sleeve designer Storm Thorgerson's books (For The Love Of Vinyl, 2009, and Gathering Storm, 2015). He regularly appears on Classic Rock’s podcast, The 20 Million Club, and was the writer/researcher on 2017’s Mick Ronson documentary Beside Bowie.