Souls make punk music fun

So what makes the Bouncing Souls so special? After all, on the surface, they're just four guys from New Jersey who play in a punk rock band. That doesn't sound like the formula for profound, introspective music that can rock with the best of 'em.

But that's just what the Souls have proven they can do time and time again, year after year. They continue that tradition with their latest release, "Hopeless Romantic."

The band's second release on indie giant Epitaph, "Hopeless Romantic" isn't a punk rock classic; it's no "Never Mind the Bollocks." But it is a good, solid 13-song album chock full of thick chords, chanted choruses and songs about everyday life. Num bers like "Kid" and "The Whole Thing" are classic Bouncing Souls - lyrics that talk about the New York punk scene and the music that fuels the kids who crowd each and every Souls live gig.

Other songs, like "You're So Rad" and "Ole!" fill the silly quota that accompanies each and every new Bouncing Souls record. Past rib-ticklers include "Shark Attack," "Your Mom" and "These are the Quotes From our Favorite '80s Movies." "Ole!" is a song that declares the band's unadulterated love for soccer, and integrates the Ole cheer that has become the sport's theme song, into the intro, chorus and closing moments of the song. "You're so Rad" is purely humorous, with lyrics like "You're so rad/More rad than my Dad/If you were a fabric you'd be plaid."

On the more serious side of the record is the title track, "Hopeless Romantic." The song deals with everyone's favorite topic, love. It starts the record off nicely with a typically quick punk rock guitar riff and equally speedy rhythm on the drums. The album's other love song, if you can call it that, doesn't strike the same chords, however. "Wish Me Well (You Can Go To Hell)" doesn't fail musically, but lyrically. The call and response pattern between Souls lead singer Greg and Kara Wethington would work nicely in a song about a breakup if Wethington's voice wasn't so damn annoying. As soon as the words "I only want what's best" escape her lips, two things happen, images of The Muffs lead singer Kim come to mind and the skip button on the CD player gets pressed.

Of all the tracks, though, "Wish Me Well" is the only one worth skipping over. The rest of the music on "Hopeless Romantic" will keep you singing along and bobbing your head every time you put it on the stereo. The highlight of the record is actually a slower number, "Bullying the Jukebox." The song bounces along at an even pace and talks about taking control of a jukebox because "I know other peoples taste in music sucks." The rhymes in the rest of the song often times seem elementary and silly, but the Souls make it work, turning the lyrics into the tune's greatest attribute.

The record, on the whole, is another respectable release to add to the Bouncing Souls' steadily growing catalog. It does just what punk rock was meant to do: deliver a message loud and clear. Extremely loud and clear. To date, the band hasn't released a magnum opus, but each and every record they put out translates nicely to the countless live shows they play. "Hopeless Romantic" will surely sound even better in a local club than it does on a living room sound system.

So what if they're not rock stars. The Bouncing Souls still know how to rock.

04-20-99