Girl at the Rock Shows

My newest cat, Alfie, has decided to stage a revolt against my shower curtain liner. When I shower now, it looks like constellations are shining through the black fabric due to the claw marks. He’s doing it again. I can hear him upstairs from my desk in the living room. I need something to drown out the sound because stopping him just isn’t an option (and no, I can’t just close the door because then he claws at the carpet at the door). I figure now is a good of time as any to check out some new music in hopes that he finds something he likes and just chills out to so let’s see if blasting Half Dizzy’s new album ‘Courtesy Flush’ does the trick.

“Propaganda” kicks this eight song album off. The song starts with a sample of what seems to be a news report before the band literally slams into the actual meat and potatoes of this track. With a classic punk sound with pop-punk tendencies and skate punk vibes, I was instantly captivated by this band. The constant back and forth between two distinctly different vocals was one of the things that instantly caught me but so did the catchiness of this song overall. Sure, this is a punk song but there’s a hook in here that is sure to get stuck in your head instantly.

Following “Propaganda” is “Petty Things”. This song slows things down ever so slightly. The track still has that undeniable punk edge but the vocals take a shift to something a bit darker and reminded me a bit of The Distillers but, again, with a bit more of a modern twist to it. The aggression and angst that comes through in the words of this song left me floored. Beyond that, were the actual words. I found them super relatable and honest. The words, much like the delivery, feel brash but I love it “And you don’t mean much to me…” Such a simple line but it really hooks you with the way the band presents the repeated line near the end of this track.

That feeling of angst continues into “Never Been Happier” and, judging by the title of this track, you can go ahead assume that the lyrics nod back to that particular line in “Petty Things” that I shared with you. Again, I loved the raw feeling of this track but also loved how perfectly produced this track is. A lot of bands try to pull of that perfectly imperfect recording style that gives a song both a sense of flawlessness but also an edge yet many bands fail. Not Half Dizzy. They went for it and nailed it which is just one of the many reasons that this band really stands out in a scene that seems to be oversaturated these days.

“Conspiracy” was instantly a favorite of mine. The entire vibe of this song shifts compared to the previous songs. Taking a lean into the ska-punk world of things, this song reminded me of The Interrupters meets Suicide Machines. It has the poppiness at times that The Interrupters do so well but there’s also a frantic chaos at moments that add that signature edge of Half Dizzy to this song. Much like many of the other ska-punk songs I like, this song takes a political stand with the words. I won’t give away said tand but let’s just say that I think this is a super anthemic, powerful, and perfect song for anyone who is feeling a bit restless in this world. Oh yeah, did I mention there are horns in this song? Play this all the way through for a super cool surprise.

At just two minutes long, “Broken Down” is the shortest track on this album but holy heck does it pack a punch. I get more of a 90s punk vibe from this song yet it is still uniquely that of Half Dizzy. Another track that seems to have a tempo of “frantic”, I honestly was just waiting for things to fall apart a wee bit but that never happened. This band is somehow able to do fast, furious, and chaotic while making sure songs make sense and don’t fall apart. Sadly, as mentioned, this is a quick song and, before I knew it, the final “real song” of this album had started playing.

“Surrogate” was another instant favorite of mine. Although the vocals still have the signature punk angst in them that Half Dizzy does so well, I feel like they bring an almost bratty vibe to this track which I really liked. Even with that new feeling, there’s no denying the catchiness of this track. Again, I found the lyrics to be super raw and relatable but also loved how, if you’re not in the mood to really hone in on the vocals, you can still get that feeling from the instrumentation throughout the song.

The reason I mentioned “Surrogate” being the final “real song” is because, well, it is but the album doesn’t stop there. Half Dizzy has two acoustic songs at the tail end of this album that absolutely can not be skipped. Listening to “Never Been Happier” and “Propaganda”, I never thought, “Hey! They should do an acoustic version of these songs!” But, now that I hear the acoustic versions of these songs, all I can think is, “Hey! Why don’t these guys do a fully acoustic album?” Even though the vibe of these two songs completely changes when played acoustically, the energy and attitude is in the same and I love that.

Half Dizzy isn’t just another punk band. They are a punk band with a twist. The amount of influences I heard throughout this quick album is a list that I’d rather not spend the time to write out. I lost count of the amount of times I found myself just lost in the music and attitude of Half Dizzy. Most importantly, Alfie, the new kitten, finally chilled out a bit and ended his revolt on my shower curtain. What I’m saying is that even if Alfie stops everything to listen to this album, you should too.

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