If you asked me what band has been my favorite discovery since starting this site, Pedico would be right up there. I’m a total sucker for their lo-fi punk take on classic rock-’n’-roll—or as they put it: “middle of the road garage punk that owns the juxtaposition of NYC scumbagness and the California surf.” It’s the opposite of a stiff new pair of shoes that needs weeks of breaking in. Pedico is your beat-up, worn-down pair: dirty (definitely some dried bubblegum on the soles), maybe falling apart, but damn, they’re comfortable—and they make everything around you cooler.
Did I mention I love this band? The wait for new tunes after their 2023 Beach Boys cover album felt long, but I’m happy to say their new record Beach Justice is just as fun as ever. If you’re coming in craving that Ramones-meets-Beach-Boys blend from earlier releases, you’re in luck—Wild Weekend and Catalog Fever hit that sweet spot with fuzzy hooks and party-starting energy.
This time around, though, Pedico leans a little harder into classic garage rock-‘n’-roll, blurring the line between their “oldies but goodies” and actual oldies but goldies. They even sneak in some anthemic garage pop (Weekend, a cover of The Dictators) and scatter in two more covers (Koko Joe by Don & Dewey, and Ana by Los Saicos). It all clicks together like a crate-digging fever dream.
As the band puts it: “Like we’re always trying to keep the summer alive, we’re trying to keep Pedico alive, recording and putting stuff out while we can. A few covers sprinkled in, a three-song weekend motif weaved through, and clips of NYC legend Al Goldstein, who, besides being a porno mag owner, had a hilarious public access show in Manhattan in the ’90s.”
Beach Justice is out now on Bandcamp.
Add to wantlist: Bandcamp