The Presidents of the United States of America

And now from the depths of our "It Came Screaming From The 90s" file is the latest album from Seattle's The Presidents Of The United States, that jammy, yet goofy band, that scored a string of ubiquitous, goes-down-easy radio hits in the mid-90s in the form of "Lump" and "Peaches." Well, it's over ten years later, and the feel good '90s are a thing of the past, but these Chiefs Of Staff, who have broken up and reformed since their heyday, which may be why they've never replicated past successes, still crank out upbeat fluff that's not for everyone, all of the time. These Are The Good Times People is a lightweight rock confection that'll appeal to your footloose and fancy, free bone. It's frivolous pop rock for the ladies and gents who were in college when "Lump" was played ad nauseum and now have mortgages and offspring and need to indulge in music that's at once nostalgic and airy! The album is full of frivolous lyrics sung in Chris Ballew's nasal vocals and good time bar anthems like "Mixed Up S.O.B.," "Sharpen Up Those Fangs," and "French Girl." If you want something silly to lighten up your somber mood, then this record'll be your own personal anti-depressant.

—Amy Sciarretto
02.26.07

Everybody know that novelty bands have a hard time growing up, but the Presidents of the United States of America made a large leap toward that during their re-formation of 2000, with Freaked Out and Small demonstrating a decrease in their stylized silliness mellowed into something more genuine. It wasn't that the band rocked less, but their humor seemed less forced, a development that continued on 2004's Love Everybody. Evolution continues to be the name of the game on their 2008 follow-up These Are the Good Times People, as the group replaces departing guitarist (and founding member) Dave Dederer with Andrew McKeag, while they bring Seattle underground mainstay Kurt Bloch in as producer, all elements that help make These Are the Good Times People perhaps their most eclectic album to date. Not that you'd know it from the first couple of songs, "Mixed Up S.O.B." and "Ladybug," which feel like stilted deliberate attempts to re-create the "Lump"/"Peaches" goofball appeal, trying just a bit too hard to be silly. After that, the humor flows a little smoother, as does the music, with the hooks swinging so naturally it's easy to ignore all the different sounds the Presidents try here, like the country 2-step of "Truckstop Butterfly," or the gentle, lilting "Loose Balloon" contrasts with the fuzzy power pop of "So Low So Hi" or how the tense, stuttering riff of "Ghosts Are Everywhere" echoes back to early punk (particularly the Jam in its taut, muscular verses) and how "Flame Is Love" delves into pure swing, complete with punctuating horns. It's this kind of subtle musical evolution that makes the President of the United States of America's second decade of records more satisfying and interesting than their first few were. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide