This record kind of blindsided me in that it certainly didn’t sound like what I’d expect to be coming out on Fat Wreck. This Canadian band deals more in raucous garage rock/pop than it does in the more standard, melodic punk fare that I’m accustomed to from the label, but I’m guessing it could well be a case of testing the waters as part of a diversification in its roster, much like Epitaph has done over the past decade. Whatever the reason for this choice, I back it one hundred percent. The Dirty Nil manages to grab my attention pretty damn quickly with “Cinnamon”—the musical equivalent of a firework exploding gloriously in my ears—before the wonderfully titled “Guided by Vices” snaps, crackles, and pops more than my favorite breakfast cereal could ever hope to do. This is sheer brilliance.
–Rich Cocksedge (Fat Wreck, fatwreck.com)