ME FIRST & THE GIMME GIMMES - Blow in the Wind LP

Label: Fat Wreck

A tribute mostly to the poppier, bubble-gum side of the '60s, Me First & the Gimme Gimmes' Blow in the Wind is a karaoke masterpiece. The band’s all-star punk rock cover band lineup, which includes members of NOFX, Lagwagon, and the Swingin' Utters, takes on mostly cheesy songs that baby boomer parents might get a kick out of, but which should make any self-respecting punks sick to their stomachs. Their version of "Elenor" by the Turtles begins with the opening to the Clash's "London Calling," complete with the bird squawk, and then ascends via "Elenor"'s extremely corny lyrics to the song's majestic chorus, which singer Spike Slawson takes way over the top, backed by the Gimme Gimmes' soaring harmonies.

Most of the moldy oldies they've chosen to soup up are the stuff of drive-in movie theaters, soda fountains, and varsity football games. Skillfully, they've turned them into full-blown, raging, though still very silly, punk rock classics, adding spectacular leads, fancy drum fills, and barbershop quartet-like harmonies. On Blow in the Wind, more often than not, they've created covers that actually blow away the original tunes.