Music Reviews: The Windowsill - "The Windowsill"

So many people wanna be punk because it's the flavor of the month. It's a sad state of affairs when you can go to the local mall and get a Ramones and CBGB's shirt and a studded belt to go with your nut hugger jeans and Chuck Taylor high tops. And then you have the kids who think Sum 41 and Good Charlotte are punk and decide to insult our ears with their version of what they think punk rock is. They say that imitation is the highest form of flattery. I don't know. Maybe their right...but then again, maybe their WRONG!

Anyway...so many bands are riding the pop punk pony right into the ground. But every now and again there's a band that really takes that style to another level with originality and a REAL passion for the music and bands like Screeching Weasel and the Queers, 2 bands that almost single handedly brought this style of music to the masses by inspiring bands like Green Day along the way. The Windowsills new self titled album is chuck full of great pop punk brought to you by former and current members of The Apers. This album is everything that bands these days WISH they could write and record. Catchy, well crafted songs, awesome guitar riffs and big sing along, harmony laden choruses.

Unlike bands like Weasel and the Queers, who spent a lot of time singing about being outcasts and high school psychopaths, The Windowsill sing about grown up stuff like relationships and being an adult in a crummy world run by idiots. And I'm NOT shitting on what Weasel and the Queers have achieved. What they do is great. But The Windowsill take it to the next level. The band hail from Rotterdam and feature Marien Nicotine, Ivo Backbreaker and Jerry Hormone from The Apers along with Sander Wired. I can't say enough good about this band and this album. Since receiving it about a week ago, I must have listened to it around 20 times. It's just a great album. And with everything great, it's hard to give it up.

Some highlights are "So Much Sharper", "Forever Hold On", "Something Beautiful" and "Mess Me Up". Modern day classics that Ben Weasel and Joe Queers wish they would have written. And that's a BOLD statement. But a true one none the less. I've always said there is no such thing as the perfect album. Well, I think I may be wrong. This is as close to pop punk perfection as it comes. If "Rocket To Russia", "Anthem For A New Tomorrow" and "Love Songs For The Retarded" rank in the top 5 albums in your catalog, this will most certainly be in the top 3! Right now, this is a number 1 for me, as far as albums that have been released in the last 10 years. And in the top 10 of all time! It's REALLY that good. You can hear it for yourself here. Give it a listen and tell me it's not one of the best albums you've heard in some time.

I hope this band sticks around for a long time inspiring bands along the way. And if you wanna go against these guy's as songwriters, you better bring your A game. You're gonna need it. In the end, The Windowsill are a group that take the music seriously. 

Track listing:

1 - So Much Sharper
2 - She Wasn't Lying
3 - Radio (She Turns On Her)
4 - Forever Hold On
5 - Most Importantly
6 - Something Beautiful
7 - Mess Me Up
8 - No Destination
9 - South Of France
10 - Stuck On Zero
11 - Summer's Almost Over
12 - One Of Those Nights

5 / 5 stars