Album Reviews

- by Nate Hennon

I had the pleasure of seeing The Maxies open up for Reel Big Fish during the summer of 2012. I did not know what to expect, but once I saw a stage full of musicians in red pants, white shirts, and white masks, I knew I was in for a good show. They claimed to be from Greenland, where they spend their off time clubbing baby seals and hanging out with drunk Polar bears. In actuality, they are a group of musicians from Southern California with a love of ska and punk.

As much as The Maxies try to be offensive, rude rock stars, their second album, ‘Nuuk ‘Em All’, is a pop punk delight. The album is full of upbeat songs about being confused by the opposite sex, acting tough when you really are not and engaging in various forms of juvenile delinquency. The album starts with a call to arms, ‘M.A.X.I.E’, where the chorus is mostly a spelling bee. From here, the album dips a little with ‘Baby I Love You’, a fine song, but overshadowed by the single, ‘My Girl is A Lesbian’. This song has a hooky chorus that worms itself into your head.

The rest of the album fluctuates between silly songs about their adventures in Greenland and heartfelt songs about girls. If you prefer The Maxies tough guy ruse, ‘Happy Birthday You’re A Dick’, ‘Bad Guys’ and ‘I’m Punk’ will tickle your funny bone and get you in the mood for some light pitting. If you prefer the latter, do yourself a favor and listen to ‘Girl with the Horn Rimmed Glasses’, ‘Seal the Deal’ and ‘Anne Marie’. All three songs stick to the pop punk formula of idolizing a girl from a far with a ton of muted guitar. Either way The Maxies deliver.