I’ve said this before, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with New Haven trio The Problem With Kids Today. In fact, their new album Take It! might just be my favorite from them yet. This is protopunk-infused rock’n’roll that jumps to life the moment you hit play—raucous, loose, and gloriously slack-ish garage rock. The band wanted to keep it simple and fun, and they nailed it.

While TPWKT namecheck British underground pop (The Pastels, Sarah Records) and Anglo-American rock royalty (The Jam, The Who, The Replacements) as influences, I can’t help but hear a streak of classic Australian punk running through these songs. It gives the whole record a timeless, sweaty basement-show energy.

Fittingly, Take It! was recorded in true DIY spirit, inside a backyard shed belonging to one of the members. In perfect tongue-in-cheek fashion, the album is out on In The Shed Recordings (their previous one, naturally, was on The Problem With Records Today). I’d love to know what the neighbors thought of the process—though I bet they’re just as thrilled as we are with the latest adventure from TPWKT.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp