Rob’s Album of The Week: Pissed Jeans’ Half Divorced
Hardcore punk is one of those musical styles that has the power to shock the senses like a punch in the face. It’s aggressive as hell and to say that it’s an art form that wears its heart on its sleeve is a vast understatement. It also possesses a unique energy that makes whoever is listening move around and eventually become a human tornado. Hailing from Allentown, Pennsylvania, Pissed Jeans embody this approach while echoing hardcore’s formative years during the ’80s while providing their own electrifying spin. Their sixth studio album Half Divorced that came out via the illustrious record label Sub Pop is their latest chapter and it’s a fantastic assortment of amplification.
The new full-length is the band’s first release in seven years and there’s a simultaneous sense of reinvigoration and consistency within the songs. There’s a tongue-in-cheek approach with the lyrics as well that examines topics such as stolen catalytic converters and amassing a ton of financial debt. In a musical sense, there’s a cohesive intensity that’s present from start to finish. It’s kind of like if both the Keith Morris and the Henry Rollins eras of Black Flag merged together to create a sonic punk rock barrage. In other words, Half Divorced is a fantastic album and any fan of unbridled amplification is bound to enjoy it.
The month of March is officially here and part of me is still thinking that it’s January. It might be due to me getting older or just handling a ton of things on a daily basis, but this year is moving at a rapid pace. After the crap I had to deal with in 2023, I kind of don’t mind it but I don’t want it to all of a sudden be December and I’m left wondering where the time went. I’m willing to bet that other people feel a similar way, especially since no one wants to feel left behind or that they forgot something they wanted to do. What you can’t forget is my top tracks off of the Album of The Week, so here they are:
“Killing All the Wrong People” starts Half Divorced off with a blistering array of riffs and beats. The lyrics are also very relatable if you’ve ever questioned certain policies and deaths of public figures over the past 60 years or so. The apocalyptic nature of “JunkTime” is top notch storytelling with the chorus arriving with sheer emphasis and intensity. With a more melodic structure, “Moving On” is another banger that has a catchy chorus. The guitars have more a flow with the drums carrying the arrangements in pulsating fashion.
Pissed Jeans are going to be playing a couple of shows in the Northeastern United States with one taking place at Underground Arts in Philadelphia on March 15 and another happening at Saint Vitus in Brooklyn on the following night. Then they’re going to be in Europe starting at Paaspop in the Dutch town of Schijndel on March 29. For a complete list of shows, check out the list of dates on their website. In the meantime, grab a copy of Half Divorced and turn up the volume. It’s unapologetic punk rock that’s ideal listening material for both the old heads and the young upstarts.
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