Pittsburgh's United Stare break loose from their shackles long enough to bestow upon an undeserving world this: a new LP, a new musical offering to the masses. A display of their rock n' roll prowess. Why is the band kept in shackles, you ask? Well, because rock 'n' roll wild men with this kind of energy and conviction should be kept subdued, or else they're likely to turn the beautiful countryside of Pennsylvania into smoldering ash. And that's just the beginning! If left unchecked, they might just leave a giant crater where the North American continent once sat. Yes, this record is that mighty. The songs on
Mental Illness Children are fast, rich and powerful. Punk and earnest rock n' roll in their purest form can still be glorious.
The band has said that this record was "incredibly easy to write and was produced with minimal effort." Some might think this is somewhat insulting to the listener or "consumer." But judging by the lyrics on this record, United Stare don't want "consumers." The band has more to offer than just a new piece of vinyl for some yuppie tourist to add to their record wall while sipping a Starbucks latte. Some things really shouldn't be overthought anyway. This especially rings true with punk and rock 'n' roll music. If you overthink it, it sounds contrived; if you start overcorrecting, it sounds polished and manufactured. And everyone knows those are the first and second sins of punk rock. Sins many bands have started to ignore lately.
While this band frequently draws comparisons to Hüsker Dü and Radio Birdman, what I really hear is pure, no-fuss, no-frills punk rock 'n' roll. The songs on
Mental Illness Children hit at just the right velocity—fast enough to inflict maximum damage, but never so fast that the music gets sloppy or stupid. Beneath that speed, all ten tracks on this LP deliver a surprising amount of heart and melody. Especially as the record starts to wind down. Lyrically, the subject matters range from disillusionment, disingenuousness, and disappointment all the way to Neil Young, injected with plenty of vigor and vitality. Rock 'n' roll doesn't need to be complex, nor does it need to force a brave new angle. It just has to connect to souls and make people actually feel something—and United Stare manage to do both.
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