Well, here’s a postcard all of us were waiting for, checking the mailbox every damn day with full-on anticipatory jitters. It’s the new LP from everyone’s favorite bubblegum budget garage pop punk trio Itchy & The Nits. Cue the theme song from their debut!

“ITCHY & THE NITS! ITCHY & THE NITS!
Scratch your head and scratch your bits!
Shake ya butt and shake ya tits!
Itchy and the Nits (Nits, nits, nits)!”

Oh wait—this new LP starts with another theme song? Can they do that? Apparently yes. The gang now sings: “Welcome to The Itchy & the Nits show, dance like you’re at the disco.” Okay, I’m on board. Honestly, this one’s an instant hit.

And wouldn’t you know it: Anti Fade and Total Punk definitely upped the budget. Maybe the band has some dirt on the label folks, but more likely it’s because Itchy & The Nits have improved across the board (not that I had any issues with their previous level). They play better than ever, sound better than ever, and still manage to keep the charm of DIY indie independence fully intact. The care and love poured into their Secrets video alone is enough to make your heart flutter. Itchy & The Nits turn minimalism into an art form, inspiring a new school of girls, boys, and everyone beyond to pick up a guitar, learn a chord or two, and write their own theme song.

Greetings From… is a total summer record—which might not make sense to our winter brains, but hey, winter for us is summer in Australia. And so you get songs about crusty boys, skinny dipping, watching cartoons, and love interests. Itchy & The Nits write songs like they’re inventing pop punk from scratch, armed with nothing but enthusiasm, instinct, and a killer sense of fun. And Greetings From… is catchy and fun in all the right places, packed with extremely sticky gang choruses. There are even sound effects (in Cartoon)! This thing has more hits than I can handle and is an absolute must-own.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Total Punk