The So So Glos start off their methodically frantic new album “Blowout” with the song “Son of an American.” The song itself begins with a childhood recording of the band’s bassist, Alex Levine, gleefully discussing Kurt Cobain’s suicide. This aligns So So Glos with Nirvana’s early DIY mentality while also announcing the existence of a new generation of non-mainstream rock acts.
“Son of an American” is an archetypical punk song. It’s all sneering vocals, chugging guitar and wraps up in 3 minutes flat. It bemoans the downside of self-identifying as a young American while also expressing an affinity for ultra-American iconography. The song’s production and straight forward guitar rock composition give it an instant classic feeling. “Son of an American” is a thoroughly enjoyable track that could have been released in 1979, 1991 or at least during the garage rock revival of the last decade.
The Ear Regular 