The Creeps’ Lakeside Cabin was undoubtedly one of my favorite records of last year. It was a dark, slick pop punk affair reminiscent of mid-period Alkaline Trio and mid-‘90s Lookout! fare that totally caught me by surprise and became a staple of my daily listening. With their newest release, These Walls (once again on Black Pint Records), The Creeps chose to forgo the lengthy, detailed recording process of Lakeside Cabin for a rawer approach, and the result is, in my opinion, their best work yet. Gone are the campy, slasher flick lyrics of past releases and, instead, the band focuses on some uncharacteristically insightful commentary on the prison system, the international culture of fear, and the desperate state of daily life. Now, don’t get me wrong when I say “uncharacteristically”—these are three smart guys, but their lyrical content up to this point has been much lighter. These songs are just on a whole other level. These Walls is catchy, cerebral punk rock that I can’t recommend more highly. Get into this band immediately.
–Dave William (Black Pint)