Album Reviews
Barely a year after the release of ‘Escape Velocity,’ Dan Vapid and his Cheats are already back with a new album. ‘Welcome To Dystopia’ comes with a whopping total of 16 tracks that deal with the pandemic, malignant narcissism, the rise of conspiracy theories, isolation, and just how completely batshit crazy social media have become. Or as Dan Vapid himself says, “I try my best to see the good when I can, but as a society we have reached a turning point and it isn’t good. Many of the songs on ‘Welcome to Dystopia’ reflect that. 2020 was the most surreal year I've seen in my lifetime. I hadn’t had that ‘holy fucking shit’ moment since 9/11/2001, even Rod Serling couldn’t have made the 2020 episode of the ‘Twilight Zone’ if he had tried.”
At this point in his career (which includes stints in Screeching Weasel, The Riverdales, The Methadones, Noise By Numbers and many more), Vapid isn’t going to reinvent himself. So on ‘Welcome To Dystopia’, we are treated to 16 supreme slices of power pop meets pop-punk with big dollops of rock ‘n roll added for good measure. Or in short, what you wish Green Day still sounded like.
The world around us may slowly be going to shit, but at least we now have the soundtrack to go with it.
Welcome To Dystopia track listing:
- Sour Pauline
- Mr. Belittle
- Fake Nice
- Let Me Out
- Strapped
- Big Boy Is Crying Again
- Chip On My Shoulder
- I Didn't Get An Invitation
- Pacify Me
- Fact And Fiction
- Anti-Science
- Welcome To Dystopia
- Bad Blood
- Boiling Over
- Junk Bond
- Space Time
Lacking the talent to actually play in a band, Tom decided he would write about bands instead. Turns out his writing skills are mediocre at best as well.
