lt doesn't take long to realize that history has given us more innovative discs than Worry When We Get There. But in case this doesn't dawn on you, The Wrench spill the beans themselves: "Who has got the time/to sit around and think of something new?" ("Tell Me Anything"). They don't need to think of something new because they do the "old" so well. The "old" being the sound of '70s hard rock funneling through '80s punk. Worry, the debut CD from this Buffalo quartet, is a powerful hook/harmony/melody-filled guide to dealing with the rigors of daily life.
Popular comparisons hold The Wrench up to older Soul Asylum, Goo Goo Dolls and other pop-punk outfits like Coffin Break or Green Day. This is punk music for people who enjoy fun, well written songs. If you are looking for punk rock to spike your hair to in anticipation of squashing the system, The Wrench might not be your bottle of hair spray. They aren't a group looking for followers who drop to their knees in awe of the band's musical chops or cunning insights into the day's politics. They seem much more likely to join a discussion on Barbarino's role as the sultan of Sweat-hogs on "Welcome Back Kotter."
The Wrench's basic musical recipe calls for a kinetic, polka-style (oom-pah, oom-pah) beat from drummer Marc Yonkers and catchy guitar parts from Tim Walikis and Dan Smith, with bassist Scotti James bridging the gap. Worry is 13 variations on this theme (plus a cover of Sinatra's "High Hopes") with The Wrench's well-stocked spice rack flavoring their frenzied pop fest in a variety of ways, avoiding a monotonous verse/chorus outline with loads of shifts, stops and starts.
There's also the occasional metallic stomp ("Can't Catch Me," "Have it Your Way") or country hoe-down ("Not Dressed For The Weather"). There's the rumbling bass intro on "It's Your Right" and the way the guitars on "That Punk Tune" hover over the bass and drums before swooping down on the middle of the verse. There's the backing vocals on "No More, No Less" and the powerhouse drumming on "Here We Go Again." The lyrics provide the icing on their musical cake.
Frontman Walikis offers no coded messages or lectures but rather clever word play reminiscent of Elvis Costello. Regardless of the situation he's in, Walikis finds room for humor. "It's Your Right" finds him dealing with loneliness: "How many times do I have to explain/that I'm not drinking to remember/I've just joined a singles club/and I'm the only single member."
In "Sometimes," he's taking a stand in a relationship: "Sometimes I don't care/if you treat me like a spare/locked up in your trunk/waiting like a doughnut for a dunk/but this is not one of these times." He's got a theory on love ("I know you and I know me/and it seems to me/that that's all I have to know/about this thing called love," in "Knowledge") but just can't seem to get it to jell with reality.
Some bands lead, others follow, but The Wrench stands aside and laughs. They write great songs and play with the enthusiasm of Stimpy diving into a fresh pan of Gritty Kitty. But they also mix up their sound and have enough twists, musically and lyrically, to avoid being another crash 'n' burn punk band who give away everything on the first listen.
So who needs innovation?