Yale, Massachusetts is not a real place in our fine state, but rather a fine state in our most real place. If that doesn’t make sense, just push play on the soundcloud link below. It still may not make sense, but it won’t matter because the music is that good.
We get it, we’re in the middle of a pop-punk resurgence. But Yale, MA refuses to settle for just being riders of the wave. “Pizzeria Regina George” has the playful themes, the Dexter Holland vocal register, and the demand for explosive volumes, but the Allston quartet aims to shake things up a bit. The two tracks, “(Anything But) Ratty Allen” and “When it Goes Down,” aren’t just glorious frenzies of powerchords and overwrought emotion. The first track is a feel-good shuffle, matching a bright lead guitar line with the shine of a trombone for a danceable romp of tragic heroism. The B-side, “When it Goes Down,” is more of a head-on attack, this time trading horn honks for some deep doses of cello and once again dodging the status quo of our newfound re-acceptance of pop punk.
“Regina George EP” is now available for stream or download, with a tape release planned for September. In the meantime, you can catch these tunes in all of their glory live this Friday at TT the Bear’s Place as Yale, Massachusetts joins a bill that includes Glacier, The Bynars, and Harris.
