Presidents’ Latest Sensational Effort

Mon., Dec. 18, 2000

Brian Thorpe Ferris

The Presidents of the United States of America “Freaked Out and Small”

Seattle. The dreary focal point of ‘90s teen angst and the negative, self-hating fury of grunge. And then there’s the wacky, upbeat and witty Presidents of the United States of America.

Formed in Seattle in the vacuum left by grunge’s downfall, the trio’s funky, slap-happy brand of rock immediately found a dedicated fan base hungry for music that wasn’t brimming with self-loathing. After a multiplatinum debut album and a fistful of hits like the classic “Peaches” and “Lump,” the Presidents took a two-year hiatus. Most recently, the band signed with an Internet record label to produce their spectacular new slab, “Freaked Out and Small.”

To begin with, the instrumentation on “Freaked” is faultless. Guitarist Chris Ballew and bassist Dave Dederer play traditional electrics (as opposed to their two- and three-stringed guitar mutations of the past), and Ballew makes great use of some crunchy, old-fashioned overdrive distortion. Funky bass lines and surf rock riffs are the norm, with an organ and clarinet adding an air of ‘70s rhythm and blues.

With such an eclectic mix of music, I have never heard the Presidents sound so good.

Lyrically, the Presidents are their usual eccentric selves. The hilarious and zany songs on “Freaked” range from common themes, like relationships, to the more unconventional, like the joy of jamming on an over-distorted guitar. There are even a few tracks that fall into the just plain weird category, like the song dedicated to the infamous Death Star of “Star Wars” fame.

The bottom line is that this album is simply sensational. I dare say that this is the best album the Presidents have ever released, seeing as the only thing wrong with it is its meager 36-minute length.

With “Freaked” I think we can honestly say, “Hail to the Chiefs!”

Grade: A+++

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