Sidenote: I wrote this a while back, after a few drinks. I’ve thought about editing it a million times but fuck it, it makes me laugh. You’ve been warned. And if by some fucking chance FOTL are reading this….dudes, I will make this into a music video if necessary.

The year, 2010. Kevin Lyman become weary of making the Warped Tour more and more irrelevant every year. He decided one night that he wanted to create the SATAN RULES TOUR 2010. He adds all of the greatest bands of this generation onto the bill. Bands like The Devil Wears Prada, Millionaires, ICP, Brokencyde (in fact, all scremo-crunk acts are there), Trivium, 3OH3; oh fuck, you get the picture already! It sounded fabulous and tickets were only a dirt cheap $97 (before service charges, of course).

Keep reading after the jump (if you dare).

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The Obits frontman Rick Froberg (formally of revered bands like Hot Snakes/Drive Like Jehu) has stated in interviews that his new project isn’t trying to reinvent the musical wheel. You can’t really argue against this sentiment after hearing the band’s debut album I Blame You (Sub Pop). But, hey, sometimes, innovation can be overrated. Consistency is the key and The Obits have mastered that good ol’ punk ‘n’ roll sound. And my friends, there is nothing like punk ‘n’ roll when it’s done just right, in my fair opinion. It’s like what Eddie Argos of Art Brut says on his band’s new album “Marvel Comics and chocolate milkshakes, some things will always be great.”

But there is something contained within these songs that could appeal to any rocker, whatever the background. Froberg’s usual screeching guitar riffs and angsty, shouted vocals are, naturally, present but there are somewhat surprising influences. In fact, the vocals feel somewhat soulful. Think The Wipers mixed with some Brian Jones-era Stones grooves.

The album thrives on it’s bare-boned approach, solid production and sequencing (via producer  Sanoff-Janney)and blistering tunes. The intensity of the one-two punch of “Widow of My Dreams” and “Pine On” is off the charts. The band gets the ball rolling early on for sure and despite the cover’s warnings of the tunes being “xtra compressed for maximum listener fatigue,” I never felt worn out.

But the highlight of the record comes with the closer “Back and Forth.” Some band’s try so hard to write anthematic arena-rocking numbers and yet, it seems so natural to The Obits. It’s fist-pumping anthem for a generation that comes off as sometimes being a bit too timid to write a song for the nosebleed seats. I heard this song and thought that is should be The Obits selling out MSG, not Kings of Leon.

The Obits have unleashed quite a marvelous debut. An early contender for album of the year in my book thus far. You can check out “Pine On” below.

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