Lost Balloons - Liquor Store 7" - White Vinyl

Wild Honey (2017)

I'm not sure if you want to call this a follow up or a companion piece to last week's Radioactivity review, but this Lost Balloons single was released at roughly the same time by the same label.  I also bought them together and both bands feature Jeff Burke, so they're intertwined in some way for sure.  Lost Balloons is Burke's collaboration with Yusuke Okada, who most know from Suspicious Beasts but I'll always know him from being in Blotto, one of my favorite Snuffy Smiles bands.

The two songs on this Lost Balloons 7" showcase two very different styles that the band is working within.  A side "Liquor Store" is a fast, lo fi blast of fuzzy guitar pop.  It's a style most closely linked to Jeff Burke's other bands.  Frankly it's a great song, big and powerful - though clocking in under a minute and a half, I can't help but wish it went on a bit longer.

On the B side we have "Dirty Sandy."  This one plays more to Yusuke Okada's strengths.  It's got that sort of boozy psych feel that you'll find here and there on Suspicious Beasts' records.  I can't say I like it as much as the A side.  Even on Suspicious Beasts albums, I tend to favor the songs that are a bit faster and louder than this one.  I'd say this 7" is more for completists.  The A side is really short and the B side isn't anything to write home about.  There's no way I wasn't going to buy it, but you may want to check the songs out before you dive into those import shipping fees.

Lost Balloons - Liquor Store 7":

https://wildhoneyrecords.bandcamp.com/album/liquor-store-dirty-sandy-7

Lost Balloons - Hey Summer LP - White Vinyl (/300)

Dirtnap (2017)

Jeff Burke is one of my favorite songwriters in punk rock.  I've loved just about everything he's ever been involved with.  The Marked Men, Radioactivity, Potential Johns, Novice and Lost Balloons.  Lost Ballons is the band he formed with Yusuke Okada (From the Japanese band Suspicious Beasts, but who was also in a great band called Blotto for a while).  Their first self titled album came out in 2015 on Alien Snatch records out of Germany.  For their follow up, they've hooked up with long time Jeff Burke record pushers, Dirtnap.

Now, while I want to say upfront that I do really like Hey Summer, it is the least Jeff Burke sounding record he's ever recorded.  Yes, the hooks are there.  Yes, you can hear echoes of the song structures and interesting chord progressions that he's championed in his other projects.  But these Lost Balloons songs are, for the most part, so much mellower and quieter than what Burke is usually known for.  Even compared to the last Lost Balloons record, this is a pretty big swing to a new direction.

Hey Summer is very much a lazy, summertime pop album.  The sort of thing that would be really nice to listen to while kicking back in a hammock with a glass of lemonade.  The jangly guitar lines and relaxed vocals showcase a side of Burke's pop sensibilities that have only been hinted at in the past.  All of that said, I don't like it as much as his faster, louder work.  I love it as a side project, but I would be bummed if he went this direction permanently.  Still, it's a nice change of pace when you want to have something a bit more chilled out to listen to.

Lost Balloons - Hey Summer:

https://dirtnaprecords.bandcamp.com/album/lost-balloons-hey-summer

Lost Balloons - S/T LP - Clear Vinyl

Alien Snatch (2015)

Very few things will get me to buy a record quicker than saying one of the guys from The Marked Men is in the band.  Not only was The Marked Men one of my very favorite bands, but every single other band that has splintered off in their wake tends to be incredible as well.  Just add the fact that the particular Marked Man on this record is Jeff Burke and there is literally no way I am not buying this, import from Germany or not.

The other important factor in Lost Balloons is Yusuke Okada of Suspicious Beasts and formerly of the great, great Japanese band Blotto.  Combine these two songwriting titans and you are essentially guaranteed a great record. Lost Balloons does not let down.  Both Burke and Okada share the singing duties on this record, but I would say that in general the sensibilities of Burke shine through a bit more.  You can certainly hear echoes of his other bands in quite a few of the songs.  Chances are that if you like The Marked Men or Radioactivity, there's a pretty good chunk of this record that will make you just as happy.

The remaining chunk tends to slow things down a bit and play with the texture of the songs.  While most of the songs on this album tend to be a bit poppier than the Suspicious Beasts records, Okada brings an element of experimentation to the party.  But don't assume catchy aspects of the songs are all Burke as when Okada was in Blotto, he knew a thing or two about creating perfect two minute punk rock hits.

Needless to say, I really dig this record.  If forced to choose (and I will be in a couple of weeks while making my best of the year lists), I might even say I like this album even better than the stellar Radioactivity release from earlier this year.  Lost Balloons is a can't miss collaboration of two tremendous songwriters.  Even as a pricey import, it's still very much worth picking up.

Lost Balloons - "Too Many Eyes":

https://soundcloud.com/aliensnatch/lost-balloons-too-many-eyes