Trauma School Dropouts | Past Due
(Independent)
In lieu of some hifalutin dissertation of the latest platter from Albany’s Trauma School Dropouts, I’ll be succinct: It flat out rocks! The cover image is a composition book with the subject “Punk Rock 101,” and the glam/hardcore/power pop sounds within completely bear out this mission statement. Frankly, I was unprepared for the unbridled energy from these sneering Capital Region delinquents. Want a London-by-way-of-Lark Street sneer on lead vocals? Check! Huge, melodic power chords to conjure Redd Kross and Cheap Trick? You got it! Tunes like “The Immoral Majority” and “Registered Nurse” completely deliver on their illicit promise. Managing to be snotty and guileless at the same time is no small feat, and this record pulls off this winning combination. They channel the true spirit of rock ‘n’ roll. To quote past masters Wire, “An evening of fun in the metropolis of your dreams.”
This article appears in January 2024.
