Punchy
Just My Type (Pinch Hit)
Punchy, eh? Is that as in “marked by vigor” or “dazed as if from a blow”? Doesn’t matter, one supposes, as either definition applies to the local quartet heard on Just My Type. Punchy delivers a solid set of essentially timeless rock that generally finds its basis in the Rumour/Attractions vein. That’s not to say the songs themselves are less than original, with the exception of “Legs Kicked Out,” which author Fritz Beer’s subconscious has managed to nick wholesale from Elvis Costello’s Get Happy showstopper “King Horse.” Song after song, Punchy manages to maintain the perfect balance of brains and balls, sprinkled with a healthy dose of cynicism. “Needle Exchange” warns that an addict’s real fear might be that “you might sober up and find out you’re the one who kept you down,” while “Try Something New” offers the suggestion that its subject could benefit by taking a shot at “acting like a human.” There’s a should-be golden rule in rock & roll that says if you’re not going to create something new and brilliant, at least make sure that the influences you wear on your sleeves are of the highest pedigree. Punchy has realized the merit behind that rule, and has determined that the best type of rock & roll out there happens to be just their type as well.
This article appears in June 29 • 2001.