No Pads No Helmets... Just Balls

Serving as an answer to the plethora of American-born, third- and fourth-generation pop-punk bands that include Fenix TX and Riddlin' Kids comes Simple Plan, a Montreal-based quintet who packed their debut with plenty of anthems steeped in adolescent angst trimmed with plenty of shout-along-choruses, sweet harmonies, and unadulterated hooks. The album title hints at the band's penchant for toilet humor so it comes as no surprise that Blink 182's Mark Hoppus and Good Charlotte's Joel Madden both put in cameos on the yearning "I'd Do Anything" and the defiant "You Don't Mean Anything" respectively. When you get past the AMERICAN PIE-like comedic sensibilities, Simple Plan slips in a few more serious nuggets like an open letter to a combative father ("Perfect") and an infectious ode to self-loathing ("God Must Hate Me"). Of course, these Canucks with catchy songs steep most of their best material in the trenches of unrequited amour ranging from the double-entendre-littered "Addicted" and chugging love letter "My Alien" to "I Won't Be There", a peppy song that chronicles the end of a relationship. Simple Plan proves American teens don't have the market cornered on angst and emotional upheaval.|

ブリンク・182やメストに続くゴキゲンなパンク・バンドがデビュー、その名もシンプル・プラン。カナダはモントリオール出身の5人組で、なんといってもメンバー全員が20才前後という若さが最大の魅力。キャッチーなメロとわかりやすい曲は聴いているだけでウキウキなのだ。元気イッパイの青春パンク・ソングが青空をグーンと突き抜けていくよう。アホなジャケットもいかにもでいい感じ。こいつは大ブレイク確実だな。
bounce (C)杉本康雄