Their rather peculiar name probably makes more sense in their native Swedish, but there's nothing confusing about
Hawaii Mud Bombers' music -- exuberant, straight-ahead pop-punk.
The Bombers have been blasting it around Europe and beyond for years, but only now are listeners in the U.S. finally getting an opportunity to hear the band for themselves.
Mondo Primo, the band's American debut, is chock-a-block with incredibly catchy songs, the bulk built around energetic rhythms,
Ramones-styled guitar attacks, and hook-laden keyboard melodies. Songs like the title track, the exhilarating "Hit the Beach," and the ode to their motorbike, "Suzuki Samurai," are most indebted to
dah Bruddahs, and few of their songs don't tip a hat to the Big Apple legends. Still, the Bombers aren't entirely in
the Ramones' thrall: "Natsu No Hi" mixes in a touch of
the Beach Boys and a splash of
the Flamin' Groovies, "Mr. Menage a Trois" sneaks in a fillip of indie pop, "Wolf n' the Lamb," featuring guest vocalist Paola, has a bright and bouncy new wave flavor, and (most spectacularly) "Birds and Bees" suggests a bouncy New Orleans jazz combo. Sweden might not be regarded as a foremost surfing destination, but the Bombers swagger across two surf-styled instrumentals as well, and with all those long, long summer days, it's no wonder that the bandmembers are beach bound. A baker's dozen sun-lit and radio-friendly pop-punk tunes, and a pair of videos to boot. May September never come. ~ Jo-Ann Greene