Philly/Delco four piece Uncle/Father Oscar recently released their debut EP Whami Guam Brad on Sorry Girl Records. Twinkly punk emo that swings from catchy guitar riffs to gang vocal shouts, Uncle/Father Oscar are welcome newcomers to the Philly scene. Being “twinkly” or “noodly” might not be the most original thing in the world, especially in Philadelphia (Algernon Cadwallader, Marietta), but it sounds awesome God dammit. There’s nothing better than singing along to peer-written lyrics while the guitar shreds over a powerful beat, and that’s exactly what we get on Whami Guam Brad. Oh, and if you don’t watch Arrested Development, that’s where the band name come from.
Opening with “Soccer Cousins,” the band tackles their own insecurities by yelling “I am not that bad / but I am not that good” as the full instrumentation explodes with a heavy thumping beat. Probably the most heartfelt track on the EP, it deals with staying quiet among friends who just don’t want to listen, and eventually just not wanting to be around them. On “Me, a Ham” the band compacts so many awesome lyrics into a two and a half minute thrill ride that it is impressive. You should definitely read all the lyrics on bandcamp, but the standout lines are “There’s quite a lot to digest by now / I’ll pump your stomach, leave room for more chewed cow / Wow, that’s quite a lot of thinking for a little ball of flesh / And if you model out the future, for the present leave the rest / Your chest is heaviest when emptiness invests”. The band creates such an accurate representation of something that is so relatable in these lyrics, and even continue doing so with the following description of hooking up with a false sense of comfort. This track is also filled with back and forth super fast riffs and shouting gang vocals that make it one of the best on the EP. Even the one minute lone “The Good News is… I Want Bees” is catchy and full of lyrics that are good reminders of the truth. As if the lyrics couldn’t get any better, “Weed TV” brings the lines “We’re older now, sex is sex / You need it like sleep, or another cigarette / You were in love, but now it’s gone / It’s over like your favorite song” that any struggling young adult can find meaning in. Also, this track is filled with the tightest riffs, awesome vocal deliveries, and the most blown up ending on the EP. “You, Sane Bolt” ends the album with some existential honesty, borrowing the famous line from Men In Black that shows how ignorant humans are in the grand scheme of things. Building up over that quote, the band explodes in a full on assault, truly exclaiming the lines “We’re a constant”.
The drums and bass were recorded at Philly Sound Studios, guitars and vocals were recorded in basements, all done by bassist Tom Conran (Pelican Audio) who also mixed the record. Finally, mastering was done by Mark Trewella at Full Circle Mastering. The album has a very good production value,
Pick up Whami Guam Brad on cassette via Sorry Girl Records here, or download it for “name your own price” via bandcamp.
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