SCREECHING WEASEL - Carnival of Schadenfreude (Recess)

Jim Testa
So how do you prefer your Screeching Weasel, with or without context? Taken purely on its own merits, "Carnival of Schadenfreude" succeeds beyond expectations. It's everything you want from Ben Weasel & Co. - catchy, snotty, snarky, satiric, and quick. Pretty much everything clocks in at 2 minutes or less, but there's still room for some surprisingly potent guitar solos (both those signature one-string SW riffs and more technical stuff) and punchy, melodic bass lines. "Muscle Mary" and "The Parasite Murders" pack a Ramones-y thump that suggests they could be leftovers from the last batch of Riverdales demos, while "Fox News" is a near-classic Weasel blast at complacent middle-class knuckleheads willing to believe everything they hear on TV. It's only if you add context that the EP might raise hackles; as someone who was present at the infamous SXSW meltdown last March, I've gone on record as saying that while Ben clearly overreacted in a tense situation, the subsequent media frenzy and chain reaction was overblown. Let's recap: His band quit (or at least refused to perform for a while, after which Ben supposedly fired them), his label dropped him, promoters rescinded bookings, and the 3-day Weaselfest in Chicago (which would have celebrated the band's 25th anniversary) had to be cancelled after bands started dropping off the bill in droves. Granted, it's amusing to hear Ben shrug it all off on the EP's title track, in which he wonders what all the fuss was about and has the last laugh on his haters (and former label.) But then he compounds the issue with the whiny "Under The Bus," in which he depicts himself as the victim in the entire ugly episode. Remorse? Regret? You won't find any here, just impudent self-denial and self-pity. Which is why if you listen to this EP and place it in any sort of context, you might have some problems with it. Yes, you'll be singing along; but you might just hate yourself for doing so.

Paul Silver
Say what you want about Ben Weasel: He’s a misogynist , he’s an asshole, he’s Conservative except when it’s personally inconvenient. Whatever you want to say, he still makes fucking great music. I would even go so far as to say that pop punk, as we know it, wouldn’t exist today if not for Ben and company. OK, that said, although Ben reportedly apologized for the “incident” at SXSW that’s been rehashed too much, the title track of this EP sure seems to be saying a big “fuck you” to everyone over the whole mess. Whether that’s good or bad depends on your point of view – but the music sure as hell is good. “Fox News” is a rapid fire blast of pop-punk that seems to take fire at the masses living their comfortable lives and blindly taking Fox News as truth. The rest of the EP is equally as good. Screeching Weasel are oft imitated, but never replicated. And, as Rich Quinlan pointed out, no one can be funny, snarky and so damn musical at the same time. Thanks Ben, for continuing to be so damned entertaining, on many levels. – Paul Silver

Rich Quinlan
Referencing the SXSW episode is simply unnecessary at this point; if you do not know what happened, let me first congratulate you for waking up from a coma and then tell you that you can forge your own opinion. Frankly, what transpired on a fateful night in Austin means nothing to me; I have been along time fan of Screeching Weasel and will proudly defend this band and its leader regardless of the sanctimonious nonsense that inundates the already corroded bandwidth of the internet. Ok, so with that out of the way, the new Screeching Weasel EP will remind all who listen why Ben is still among the pantheon of pop-punk geniuses. The title of the EP is wonderfully fitting, Schadenfreude of course a reference to a German term celebrating the misery of others, but the music within is among the freshest and sharpest SW has produced in some time. The opening salvo of the title track and the scathing “Fox News” are quick hits of infectious, speedy, sing along punk tinged with biting sarcasm. With references ranging from people believing he is unemployed to the always accessible punching bag that is Sarah Palin, these tracks, both failing to even approach two minutes, are quick jabs to the gut that announce that SW are back, Ben is fired up, and the people who so gleefully buried him now must realize that this band is not going anywhere! The following trio of “Muscle Mary” (whose opening riff is a nice nod to “I Just Wanna Have Something to Do”), “Queen Kong” and “Parasite Murders” are impossible to dislike, as Ben again proves that while legions of bands attempt to be funny, snarky, and still punk, it is a rare talent that can combine all three traits into truly great songs. The closing “No Reason to Lie” and “Under the Bus” are slightly less ferocious musically than the other works, but each is dripping with acerbic wit, particularly the mid-tempo “Bus”, a song that makes a fitting conclusion here when one reflects upon what so-called fans and even former band members said about Mr. Weasel last spring. For those who appreciate Screeching Weasel, this EP is just another illustration of how significant and fun this band is, and yes, it’s ok to have fun, kids. - Rich Quinlan