Screeching Weasel "Some Freaks Of Atavism"

Helmed by acid-penned frontman Ben Weasel, Some Freaks of Atavism is inspired pop punk for a strange new decade. Smart, incisive, rocking (and of course) danceable as hell, the 14-tracks produced and engineered by Mike Kennerty came at the right time for many fans stuck at home during the rise of Covid-19. After canceling upcoming tour dates amid worldwide safety concerns, Weasel pushed the album's release forward with gusto.

With revitalized swagger and knock-out guest vocal appearances by New Wave icon Josie Cotton and MxPx's Mike Herrera, the album provided more than fist-pumping hooks. For fans of the band, it scratched a massive itch that hadn't been tended to since 2011's punchy, powerful First World Manifesto.

Passionately performed by Screeching Weasel's impressive current live lineup, Some Freaks of Atavism is both a pillar of punk triumph and a gut-punch to the monster the band so lovingly created. Really, would we expect anything less from these Midwest miscreants?

Sure, the coming year is more uncertain than ever. But pop punk fans can be comforted by one unwavering promise: virtuoso Weasel will sleep when he's dead.