BAD SPORTS at Hillsiders

Denton/Austin's Bad Sports are back with their third album - and second on Dirtnap. Produced by the Marked Men's Mark Ryan and Jeff Burke, Bras is a major departure from the '77 pop/punk feel of 2011's terrific Kings of the Weekend. This time the band brings a tougher, harder-edged sound and takes on a wider variety of musical styles. While still very much in the classic vein of Texan garage/punk, Bad Sports are also bringing to mind the heyday of New York City punk. With hints of Dead Boys snarl, Dictators thump, and even some artier Lou Reed/Television leanings, this record finds the trio refining its songwriting chops and rocking harder than ever. The album's got a little bit of everything - from booming Cheap Trick style power pop to straight-up catchy garage punk to grimy proto-punk not far removed from Orville's other band OBN IIIs. And while Bras builds on the foundation of previous records, quite frankly it blows away anything else the band has done to date. Scorching tracks like "Washed Up" and "Race To The Bottom" beg to be played at obnoxiously loud volumes, while "Nothing In This World" might be the best pop song you hear this year. Elsewhere, "Get You" and "Terrible Place" manage to satisfy the fan base even as they push the band's sound to the next level. Lots of bands pay lip service to the idea of duplicating the energy of their live shows on record. Bad Sports have gone out and done it! Turn it up! Discography: Albums: Bad Sports (Douchemaster Records) 2009 Kings of the Weekend (Dirtnap Records) 2011 Bras (Dirtnap Records) 2013 Singles: All The Time b/w Asshole With The Girl/Hey Ok (Boom Chick Records) No Rest For The Wicked/No Good b/w Ooh Ooh Ooh/Hand It Over (Big Action Records) Nothin To Do b/w Use My Brain (Nashville's Dead Records) Compilations: New Kids On the Block 7" (Randy Records) - Song: Not A Creep Casual Victim Pile CD/LP (Matador Records) - Song: Can't Remember Your Name Denton Denton USA LP (Play Pinball! Records) - Song: Yer Timin' Just Aint Right Cheap Time/Bad Sports 7" (Vice/Scion A/V Records) Song: Would You Wait For Me Too?

Can you smell what The Whiffs are cookin? Hint: it’s not Phish, Meatloaf or a String Cheese Incident. Nope – Kansas City’s prodigal sons of power pop are sticking to what they know on Another Whiff, their debut full-length for Dig! Records. Since 2017’s Take A Whiff EP, the band has been busy allowing their auditory aromas to ripen with the addition of Joey Rubbish (of The Rubs) for a fuller, more robust sonic bouquet. While the band can still get it up for Stiff Records – their pop-centric punk remains in full force – the album takes detours down lonelier roads in broken-hearted ballads from the heartland. No rocks left unturned on a journey forged by pioneers like Chilton and later Westerberg, the looming legacy of Petty and the cosmic country harmonies of The Byrds before them. Timeless tunes and the triple-threat of Rory, Zach and Joey’s vocals set The Whiffs apart from their peers. Three distinct songwriters with their own personal flavors, delivering three-part harmonies for a unique rotation of upbeat punk belters (“Now I Know”), achy ballads (“She”) and triumphant tearjerkers (“How Could You”) that our troubled troubadours dispense like a Greatest Hits Factory for the last half-century of all of our all-time favorites.