Teenage Bottlerocket

Laramie, Wyoming has never exactly been a hotbed for, well, anything. Let alone any kind of punk rock scene. But you'd be surprised, I certainly was when I heard about the pride of the Cowboy State: Teenage Bottlerocket. Turns out there's actually a vibrant underground scene out yonder and Laramie boasts about a dozen bands. I propose this: isolation is their best ally in light of the dismal music trends of today. These guys don't trouble themselves with low-cut jeans or makeup, instead they work hard at perfecting their infectious songs and tightening up their live set. Fashion-core? Never heard of it. Their only gimmick is the kick-ass punk songs they write, and that is evident on their new 13-song album, Warning Device.

So who are these young upstarts? Well, Ray and Brandon are identical twins that look and sound so alike that even their mother has difficulty distinguishing the two. Next we have Miguel, still a student at the esteemed University of Wyoming. He plays bass and has hair like Dee Dee Ramone meets that scary bad guy from "No Country For Old Men". Finally, there's Kody. He's the other singer with the songs about pony kegs and killing sprees at Burger King. Kody fronted one of the greatest pop punk bands ever, the Lillingtons.

The great thing about the guys in Teenage Bottlerocket is that they are a pillar of the Wyoming scene and have been active in it for years. Hearing stories about their involvement is the kinda stuff that makes you proud to consider yourself a punk—as they are often the ones booking the shows, flyering, working the door, loading in, doing sound, and eventually putting up the band for the night. It's that good old-fashioned punk rock unity that used to be a lot more prominent in this community. These kids haven't forgotten about the core ideals and traditions of punk, and that commitment is apparent in their music. Their Red Scare debut, 2005’s Total, was a massive hit amongst us pimply-faced punk geeks and it got them on national tours with bands like Epoxies and Groovie Ghoulies as well as on compilations from Fat Wreck Chords and Hopeless Records.

Sure, this is the classic case of "big fish from a small pond", but believe me folks, this is one hell of a fish and they intend on fucking up your pond no matter how big it is. Armed with a smoking live show and a superb new record under their belt, Teenage Bottlerocket is ready to take things to the next level. There's been a few years of drought when it comes to quality Ramones-core bands, but once in a while the planets align and a new band surfaces to remind us what it's all about. Listen to the record and you'll agree that THIS is that band. For now, it seems like there's plenty of hard work on the horizon as the band is currently being offered several U.S. tours. Yes, they love Laramie and all it's bands, but they're especially anxious to get the fuck outta that town and rock cities throughout the land. And as charming as their home sounds, you can't blame 'em.