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Sydney Australia's Itchy & the Nits fly the budget freak flag high. 12 Tracks of fun in the sun stripped down garage punk bringing to mind early Donnas, Brentwoods, and Thee Headcoatees, with a healthy dose of power pop ala Nikki & the Corvettes. Their debut LP compiles the 7 tracks from their demo cassette released last year on Wartman Inc. with five more all recorded by Ishka Edmeades (Tee Vee Repairmann, Satanic Togas...). Crude, catchy, and 100% TOTAL PUNK!!!!
Our take: I remember the day last spring when the 7-song demo tape by Australia’s Itchy and the Nits hit Bandcamp. Everyone around the Sorry State offices was playing it, and I think we were all pretty smitten. I’d hoped it wouldn’t be too long before we saw vinyl from this group, and now a year later we have their debut on Total Punk Records (a perfect home for the band), combining those seven tracks with five new ones that are their equal in both style and quality. Itchy & the Nits sound to me like a throwback to 90s garage bands like the Donnas (their early punk stuff), the Rip Offs, and the Headcoats / Headcoatees. Like those bands, Itchy and the Nits take the fuzzy garage aesthetic of the early Kinks, add a big helping of Phil Spector by way of the Ramones songwriting, and play it all at It’s Alive tempos. It’s fast, catchy, bursting with energy, and you’re singing along by the second chorus. Plus, the Budget Rock production ensures that nothing sounds saccharine. It’s lean music, all speed and hooks, with nothing smacking of self-indulgence or pretension. The Worst of is a tough record not to like, right down to its colorful and charming artwork, so I suggest you surrender yourself and let these hyperactive tunes take you straight to your punk rock happy place.