The So So Glos - Tourism/Terrorism (2009) [Green Owl] // Grade: B

Full disclosure, I haven’t paid much attention to anything new happening in punk in years, but in my younger days it was my genre of choice. Energetic, sing-along anthemic punk has always been my preference and the four Brooklyn brothers known as The So So Glos nail this sound. Tourism/Terrorism, the followup to the band’s 2007 self-released, self-titled debut is one part fucking great and one part total guilty pleasure.

If their name sounds familiar, it’s because The So So Glos founded, run and live out of the Market Hotel, an all ages DIY venue in Bushwick. DIY is a good summary of Tourism/Terrorism, a release that’s more fun than it is well-executed. The So So Glos seem to suffer from a bit of an identity crisis, alternating between what is their strength, energetic, charged power punk explosions (“My Block”, “Execution”) and uninspired attempts at merging the sound of The Clash and The Strokes (“Throw Your Hands Up, “Isn’t It A Shame”). The So So Glos’ politically leaning lyrics are often hard to take seriously, feeling more like a ripoff of 1970s punk themes than actual politicism. I’m not sure if The So So Glos thought audiences would fall for lyrics like, “Brooklyn to Baghdad”, but I’m not buying it.

Now put aside the above critique of Tourism/Terrorism, and just listen to this album. If you’re willing to forgo criticism and analysis and take The So So Glos at face value, Tourism/Terrorism is fucking great. At 27 minutes it’s more of an extended EP than an album and is fun from start to end. Alex Levine’s nasal vocals are full of enthusiasm and downright charming. You can tell The So So Glos genuinely enjoy every chord they hit and every show they play, and in my book, that counts for something.

If you’re looking for highly original modern punk, Tourism/Terrorism isn’t it, but The So So Glos as catchy as hell and it’s not going to kill you to turn off your critical listening switch for a half hour in the name of fun.

- Scrooge McFuck