Held Back By Wacky?

I'm getting pumped for "These Are The Good Times People", the new release by the Presidents of the United States of America. I've been a loyal PUSA fan since college, including the several strange and interesting solo projects by lead singer/songwriter Chris Ballew (the 2 Giraffes CDs are among my favorites). Last week, the first single from the new album, called "Mixed Up Son of A Bitch," was released on their MySpace page, and it's killer. I highly recommend that you take a listen.

The Presidents have a certain amount of "wacky" in their songs and in their persona, which I think has held them back a bit in the public eye. They fit well, along with the Blues Brothers and Tenacious D, into that category of groups that make excellent music but aren't taken 100% seriously because they don't take themselves 100% seriously. This is too bad, because the Presidents consistently write really solid rock songs. Few other bands seem to enjoy themselves as much as they do. I say bring on the wacky!