Meet Maniac. An LA-based band featuring members of The Girls, Cute Lepers, Clorox Girls, and LA Drugz. ‘Dead Dance Club’ is already their second album and comes with twelve cuts of what they themselves describe as ‘Post Sleaze-Jazz Gelato Core’. But since that means nothing to no one, let’s go with garage-y poppunk meets classic power-pop instead.
There is plenty of energy going round here and tons of big, poppy hooks, which are juxtaposed against self-deprecating lyrics that seem to focus on failing relationships and loss. Don’t know what it is about that combination, but it makes for some of the best songs around. Something Maniac has plenty of.
Opener ‘City Lights’ is like a beacon that calls you in from the darkness and which then lets you party the night away while dancing to ‘Midnight Kino’, ‘Modern Love’ and ‘Children Of The Dirt’.
Fans of Mrs Magician, Marked Men, Cheap Whine or even of Lookout! Records styled pop-punk need to check this band out. Unlike the 2012 movie featuring Elijah Wood, this Maniac is actually well worth your time.
Track listing:
- City Lights
- Subject to Change
- Neutral Libido
- Midnight Kino
- Calamine
- Modern Love
- Children of the Dirt
- Living in Stereo
- Officer Jimmy
- Precision Accuracy
- Post Post World
- Dead Dance Club
