PUSA at their best!
Mel Zorro | 04/10/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
""II" is a collection of great riffs and memorable stories, whose songs and production blows the debut album out of the water!
This is by far PUSA's best effort and even though it didn't produce any hit singles, the songs are so much stronger than their self-titled album.
The highlight are:
-"Ladies and Gentleman" is a subdued opener, timidly asking the audience "Are you prepared to rock?" before kicking into high gear.
-"Lunatic To Love" is a lightning fast, erratic love song about being in love with a mental patient. It's like "Lump" on speed.
-"Volcano" features a comic rhyming-spree that peaks with "happy campers, have poop in their Pampers..."
-"Tiki God" is a fast-paced, solid rocker with Brady bunch references.
-"L.I.P." has a great riff and sing-along chorus, that like their best songs totally breaks down at the end.
-"Supermodel" contains another lyrical masterpiece that rhymes both "Schwarzenegger" and "Darth Vader" with "Nine months later".
This album is a great listen all the way through and has been matched only by "Love Everybody" in awesomeness-buy it now!"
A good time for all
Laszlo Matyas | 01/19/2008
(4 out of 5 stars)
"The Presidents may not have been rock 'n' roll gods, but they certainly don't deserve the one-hit-wonder status that they've been relegated to. As this album proves, the group was way, way more than just "Lump." In fact, this record is easily better than its predecessor, even if it doesn't contain the stunningly catchy aforementioned hit single. This disc is crammed with goofy fun and hook-filled grunge-pop, with churning guitars and surging melodies and lyrics about dancin' frogs. It's the innocent, joyful, and sometimes hilarious antecedent to Nirvana, and we should all be grateful for it. I mean, what's not to love about the pounding, maniacal surge of "Lunatic To Love," or the creepy-crawly utiopianisms of "Bug City?" "Mach 5" rocks pretty damn nicely, and "Froggie" bounces with hilarious abandon. "Volcano" has this really cool ascending riff, and "Tiki God" is hilariously menacing. Sure, the album isn't a work of genius- the jokes get old after a while, and the songs occasionally dip on the annoying side (see "Bath Of Fire"), but for the most part this is a damn good listen."
A Delightfully Fun Blast of a Disc
Christopher Neal | 10/22/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"While "more of the same" is usually a kiss of death for many albums, "II" proves the other adage of "If it ain't broke, don't fix it". Fun, bright and purely entertaining, POTUSA's second disc keeps things free-wheeling and upbeat, even during the slower songs. It was a breath of pure oxygen when it first released, and still stands to this day as a great break from moody, depressing, overly emotive fare.
Despite the goofy lyrical style, there is solid and competent musicianship to be found here, too. The range of sound that the band achieves--with two and three-string hardware, no less--is definitely impressive, and the riffs that bounce along are instantly catchy. Combined with lead singer Chris Ballew's bright and clean vocals, the formula works, and immediately drags you into the band's idea of a good time. It's absolutely worth the purchase for anyone who found "Kitty" or "Lump" even remotely interesting."
Track Listings (14) - Disc #1
