The Underground Railroad to Candyland
The People Are Home
Recess Records
Punk rock in the summer time. This means, for me, lo-fi the punk rock down, pop up the melody, downplay the anger and up the fun factor. For those car rides to the beach, when you’re burned out on ska and reggae, summery punk – that’s what works best. Enter the new album from The Underground Railroad to Candyland, The People Are Home.
One of the many bands that Recess Records founder Todd Congelliere records under (see also Toys That Kill and F.Y.P.), The Underground Railroad to Candyland (God, I love that name!) are a garage punk band that throw all sorts of odds and ends into their music. This new record not only has the gang vocal under 3 minute bursts of off kilter punk (“In Case You Dunno,” “The Ppl R Hm”), and the songs to make The Ramones proud (“Let’s Go! Take it Slow!”), but it’s got a weird ass circus instrumental with whistling and what sounds like a tuba (“Baby Makes WW3”) and a second instrumental that rides out on a psycho surf wave (“Omstro”).
If you could scrape up the sun tan lotion sweat, the wet sand, and surf wax that sticks to the boardwalk floor of a locals-only beach in a not so great section of town and set it to music, it might sound a bit like this.
