So I got an email from The Presidents of the United States of America recently…
The rock band, not the actual politicians who have held the office.
I knew that PUSA had put out a new album called “Kudos to You” recently and had downloaded some free songs that probably got me on their mailing list. I have actually been listening to them a lot recently, so decided it was past time to check out the new album more fully. After a quick listen to the tracks on their site, I went ahead and added this album to the earlier five PUSA albums I already own. It’s hard to believe that this band from the 90’s is still rocking it, (albeit with one new member and after a couple of hiatuses).
Below is a fun music video of one of the cool songs on the new album: Poor Little Me. While watching, keep an eye out for the closeup of their instruments. On their first album they had a song called Back Porch, that had the lines:
“Some little friends come along with some two string, one string,
No string guitars.”
Well it may look like they are “goofing” on that in this video, but in reality these are their “normal” instruments. Chris Ballew (singing lead on this song) plays a basitar and Andrew McKeag plays a guitbass. And of course Jason Finn (the drummer) plays a no-string guitar… Seriously though, these instruments are regular, six-string guitars with special modifications: Ballew’s instrument has two bass strings (with which he plays bass parts), and McKeag’s instrument has three guitar strings (used to play guitar parts).
Enjoy the song, which from the lyrics sounds like the person is depressed, but like most of PUSA’s work I think you will find that you are toe-tapping & head-bobbing and definitely NOT depressed by the end of the song.
I also discovered PUSA is doing a rare performance in Denver at the Ogden theater in mid-August. I’m seriously considering going to it as I have read some good reviews of performances from this current tour. I actually saw them in concert once in Hawaii in the 90’s when they were on tour after their big self-titled album hit the charts. There were a lot of big name bands there (No Doubt was one), but in my opinion the little high-energy, three-piece, no-frills Presidents stole the show.