I seriously can’t get enough of these guys. O Pioneers!!! And myself are locked in a seemingly never ending cycle; they keep releasing awesome albums and I keep scooping them up like a poorly wired robot. If these boys were the captain of a ship, I’d follow them out to the high seas and go down with the ship, if needed.
I was introduced to O Pioneers!!! A few years ago through their first full length, Black Mambas, and through a good many split records, random seven inches and this new full length, I have witnessed the band’s evolution from a two piece to a full band format, complete with bass player. Despite various lineup changes and slight shifts throughout the last several years, vocalist Eric Solomon has insured that these pioneers have kept their rugged and dynamic edge.
I don’t think I could really pontificate on O Pioneers!!! sound any further than I have over the last three or four album reviews I’ve written that have featured them. If you like gruff yet melodic punk with a whole heap of folky influence; then be prepared to witness your new favorite band. Ultimately, these boys draw comparisons to Hot Water Music due to Eric Solomon’s whiskey soaked rasp and undoubtedly Against Me, because of the bands penchant for rollicking rhythms and sometimes twangy guitars. This musical influence finger pointing is indeed understandable, but while no one would claim that O Pioneers!!! are doing anything cutting edge, their sound works better for them than many other bands out there playing similar styles.
Neon Creeps is a well rounded record with many plateaus and valleys of sound and emotional attachments. This album finds the band sounding fuller and tighter than ever while still retaining the rough and tumble aspect of their dirty rock jams. ‘Serious tunes, funny songs titles’ could be this albums tagline. When it’s all said and done Neon Creeps, for me, feels like a soundtrack to beers and beards and too much time wasted on Punknews.
