The Ergs Albums (4)
'Hindsight Is 20/20, My Friend'
Release Date 9/16/2008
Tracks 33
Label Dirtnap
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Pop-punk bands who offer up bits of snarky post-teenage wit in short bursts are generally best advised not to collect them into a package that runs more than an hour; such stuff is often the musical equivalent of a comic doing one-liners, and they can easily wear out their welcome after a while. However, the Ergs have created a viable exception to this rule with Hindsight Is 20/20, My Friend, a 33-song collection of singles, compilation tracks, and similar odds and sods recorded between 2000 and 2007. Most of the time, the Ergs are playing for laughs, but their stories of love, angst, and various grievances with contemporary culture also happen to ring true, and there's a surprising amount of heart and heartache lurking behind song titles like "Books About Miles Davis," "Jazz Is Like the New Coke," and "More Vocal in the Monitor." And while it would be easier to toss off a Gin Blossoms cover as a joke, the Ergs instead deliver an unexpected reminder that "Hey Jealousy" is actually a pretty good tune (they also do right by the Replacements, Nirvana, Solomon Grundy, and the Beatles). The Ergs may not be the most original or challenging band you'll ever hear, but Jeffrey, Joey, and Mikey play with admirable efficiency and drive and they can embrace a melody without beating it into the ground, making their hooks register amidst the unending barrage of power chords. And it's a welcome sign that this compilation's most obvious joke, "Sneak Attack," is over in less than ten seconds. The Ergs are advised not to push their luck with another 72-minute career-spanning retrospective, but Hindsight Is 20/20, My Friend is an entertaining summary of their virtues that works the long form better than most of their peers could ever hope. ~ Mark Deming, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
The joke hasn't yet worn thin for the Ergs, but the seams might be starting to show a bit. The Jersey pop-punk trio's second full-length album isn't exactly a bid for mature artistic credibility, but it's notably less willfully silly than what has come before, and frankly, some of the jokier topics feel a little stale. Songs about Isaac Asimov fanboyism ("2nd Foundation") and recycling clichés derived from The Music Man ("Trouble in River City") aren't exactly the height of cleverness. On the plus side, however, the Ergs' knack for ultra-speedy, ultra-catchy pop-punk tunes in the best tradition of the Ramones, Undertones, and Queers continues unabated: these 15 tracks get knocked out in a breathless half-hour of breakneck tempos and ramalama melodies topped with the group's trademark silly/smart lyrics. Picking individual highlights of an album designed to rush past in a breathless, geeky blur is a fool's errand, but the gloriously bratty "Books About Miles Davis" is a particular gem. ~ Stewart Mason, All Music Guide
'Jersey's Best Prancers'
Release Date 1/1/2006
Tracks 7
Label Don Giovanni
See Album Tracklist and Review
