Album Reviews

Canada’s Talk Show Host surprised me in the best of ways with last year’s “Perfectly Competent”. They are now following up that EP with another 5-song EP called “Not Here To Make Friends”. Vocalist/guitarist Chris compared it to 2017 itself: ‘louder, angrier, and with a weird mixture of hope and despair thrown in for good measure. Hopefully it’s way less terrifying. And, like, way more catchy.’ And you know what? It is.

The catchy as hell “Dead Meat” gets to kick things off, all upbeat with great hooks and vocal harmonies and reminding me of Junction 18… never a bad thing. The title track starts off sounding like a track Pennywise hasn’t gotten round to writing yet, before heading for another incredibly slick chorus.

I don’t like to repeat myself (neither does Talk Show Host for that matter), but there is no other way to describe “I Hate Men (I Hate All Men)” than to say it is catchy beyond belief. I already found myself singing along, until I realized it could be construed as weird to walk around singing you hate all men. With “Watch Him Fall” and “Nervous Wreck”, you get two more upbeat, perfectly hummable punk rock tracks that will considerably brighten up your day.

I can’t for the life of me figure out why Talk Show Host aren’t bigger than they are right now. Maybe because they have an EP out called “Not Here To Make Friends”? I’m not sure. But it’s definitely not because they are lacking in the song department.

Track listing:

1. Dead Meat
2. We're Not Here to Make Friends
3. I Hate Men (I Hate All Men)
4. Watch Him Fall
5. A Nervous Wreck