Spiritual Cramp: RUDE

This is where my lack of music history knowledge fails me. And my “I don’t know, I just like it” takes over. Do I have an inkling that this Spiritual Cramp album isn’t the most original thing on earth? I do. Do I know some of the songs sound like Ramones and others like The Clash? Sure I do. Do they maybe sound like KISS, even though I have no clue what KISS sounds like? Maybe. Would I probably also throw in Madness, The Specials and Bloc Party? Yessir. Does that all sound awesome, though? Indeed! All of this despite the fact that — like Operation Ivy, Green Day and Rancid before them — they hail not from the British isles, but the Bay Area of the sunshine state.

Now, would being able to name check all these bands in a single recording make most people doubt Spiritual Cramp’s bonafides? And make them skeptical as to why they would essentially make a cover album of the past 40 years of punk and post-punk? Well, sure. But to me, if I like it and it bops then why let history be its boss? Besides, the kids will never know. At least the kids who are as clueless as I am about the concept of mimicry. It’s not as if it’s exactly the same as their self-titled debut, so you’d think that if their influences were all they could recreate that the two records would be carbon copies. Sure, they’re similar, but they’ve dialed in their style. And style they certainly have.

Now, could I do without the radio DJ tags at the beginning of some of the songs? I could. I’m sure it’s some Jamaican reggae thing or Clash aesthetic that feels a bit to gimmicky for a record that doesn’t need gimmicks. I’m also not a huge fan of the all out reggae tunes like “Violence in The Supermarket.” It just feels like hero worship and a little too too. Not bad, just not authentic. I mean, this is a band who opens this record with a short track called “I’m An Anarchist.” Certainly, sirs, you are not. After all, your album is produced by John Congleton, a man who has worked with pretty much every indie rock band you’ve ever heard of ever. And your shit sounds really good. But hardly DIY anarchic. At its heart, this is really a pop album. And, as such, is a little bit too clean for me. They have their slinky Arctic Monkeys bass lines and borderline dancy grooves that I definitely find toe-tapping and head-bobbing, but at times I wish the production was just roughed up a little. A few more squeals here and there — something human injected into the admittedly immaculate soundscape. There’s a touch here and there of that on the Hives-like track, “I Hate The Way I Look,” but that follows “You’ve Got My Number,” which is a very vibey and beautifully produced track co-starring a guest vocal by Sharon Van Etten. So, yes, this is an entertaining album that I’m sure some will dismiss because of their deep understanding of music history and appropriation and whatnot. But, to hell with them. I like what I like and I can’t be shamed.