Bad Sports “Constant Stimulation”

Bad Sports are an Austin based proto punk-rock band. Whilst they are a new band to us, they’re not a group of newcomers as the members have played together in a number of outfits.

This album certainly gets off to a rip snorting start with the punky rock n roll of “Giving In”. Together with tracks like “Gains And Losses” and “Constant Stimulation”, they show that Bad Sports are no kind of wimpy alternative indie kids. These are boisterous slabs of edgy rock n roll.

However, it’s not all just blood and guts with this release. There are some really nice subtleties and diverse sounds amongst these tracks. Songs like “Don’t Deserve Love” and “Ode To Power” are absolutely cracking indie rock songs. They focus more on melody and surely have the potential to turn Bad Sports in to a huge, commercially successful band. Together with “Distant Life” they are just crying out for some radio play.

Even better, the band are often capable of delivering it all at the same time. “All Revved Up To Kill” has a cool punk attitude but also a catchy Brit pop style chorus. There is a real swagger to the addictive “Easy Truth”. On the other hand, they can seamlessly switch from the more reserved tones and almost sixties feel of “Everything We Wanted” to the intensity of “Cardboard Suits”.

In a nutshell, this album pretty much has all that you could want from an indie/alternative rock album. It’s got a bit of punk snarl, plenty of melody and a sense of passion about it. Certainly, if you’re looking for some stimulation then this’ll do the trick!