Bum - Wanna Smash Sensation LP - Blue Vinyl (/500)

Hey Suburbia / Radiation (2022, Reissue)

Wanna Smash Sensation is one of the best albums I have ever heard in my entire life.  Since the fateful day that I bought the CD from Flipside records in the 90s, I've been completely obsessed with it.  It's just a perfect punk/pop record.  This version is a new reissue from Italy on blue vinyl, with a couple of bonus tracks added on for good measure.  Sure, I've had this record in my collection forever, but it's the sort of album I will buy every possible variation of.  So here's another for the shelf.

It is really hard for me to adequately articulate what it is about this record that I love so much.  Sure, the songs are great and it's easy to say that, but I have a much harder time pinning down what it is that makes these songs so special to me.  They're catchyand that goes a long way for sure.  But I think what makes everything truly special is the balancing act the band does between the songs written by Andrew Molloy and those written by Rob Nesbitt.  It's not that they write songs that are complete opposites of each other, but it's the subtle differences in each that the band coalesces around.

Songs by Molloy are hook machines.  Perfect pop with rock and roll underpinnings.  Nesbitt's songs are a little more aggressively punk, but never sacrificing melody and sing along choruses.  A cut of the knife rather than the party anthem is how that difference has been explained and I can't think of a more perfect way describe it.

This pressing sounds great and looks just as nice.  The two bonus tracks are the same two on the Japanese version of the CD. "Lift Up Your Hood" a DMZ cover originally from the Smugglers split 7"and their version of the Misfits' "Bullet" was a B side from the "Debbiespeak" 7".  I don't know that either cover really adds anything to an album where the originals are so ridiculously great, but they are here for the listening and both are fun to check out.

If for whatever reason you don't already have this record in your collection, now is the time to get it.  I can't imagine going through the last 28 some odd years of my life without it, so if it's an omission in yours, fix that.

Bum - Wanna Smash Sensation:
https://bummusic2.bandcamp.com/album/wanna-smash-sensation

Bum - Wanna Smash Sensation CD (Japanese Version)

1 + 2 (1993)

Back in January I was lucky enough to go to Seattle for the Pop Punk Festival that Ean from Sicko put together.  It was a great time with a lot of cool bands playing.  For me, no highlight was higher than finally getting to see Bum play live after over 20 years of waiting.  They were the number one band on my list of bands that I'd never seen live and that show was everything I could have hoped for and more.  Their setlist contained nearly all of Wanna Smash Sensation, which is one of my favorite records of all time.  They also had a few copies of this Japanese version of the CD with two bonus tracks for sale.  As a crazy completist, of course I had to buy a copy.

I'm not kidding when I say this is one of my favorite all time albums, handily in my top ten desert island whatever you want to call it.  It's pretty much a flawless record and trying to dissect each song would be quite the task, likely leading to a review a bit longer than a normal person would want to read.  It's the epitome of the early nineties, fired up poppy punk record.  Hooks galore, incredible vocals and a songwriting duo unrivaled in my generation.

From the opening blast of Debbiespeak, to the singalong anthem of "Wedding Day" to the horn tinged pop of "Bent of Being Bent" to the absolute perfection of "I Hardly Breathe" to the party anthem of "I'm Not One," Wanna Smash Sensation has all of your bases covered.  These songs are part of my life's soundtrack and I love every single one of them more than I could really articulate in a brief review like this.  I didn't even mention how incredible songs like "Mallory," "Instant Kool Ayd" or "a Promise Is A Promise" are.  Just look at the track listing and randomly pick a song, you could make an argument that it's the best song on the record.  They are all that good.

This Japanese version differs from my other copies in that it contains two bonus tracks.  The first is "Lift Up Your Hood" a DMZ cover that was also available on the Bum split 7" with the Smugglers.  The second is a cover of the Misfits song "Bullet." This one I had in my collection from its appearance as a B side on the "Debbiespeak" 7".  So, while neither were new songs to me, this CD was still one that had to be in the collection.  After all I am a sucker for an Obi strip.

In all seriousness, you should own this record in any version that you are able to find.  I cannot say enough good things about it and I really don't think you can really understand how much I love it just from this silly review.  It's perfect.  A flat out perfect album.  Go find one.

Bum - Wanna Smash Sensation:

https://bummusic2.bandcamp.com/album/wanna-smash-sensation

Collection: Bum - 7"s & LPs

Collection: Bum - 7"s & LPs, a photo by Tim PopKid on Flickr.

Perhaps this band gets the respect they're due in their home country of Canada, but I can think of few bands that are as overlooked as Bum. In my humble opinion one of the greatest bands to ever come along. They are the perfect mix of loud guitar, catchy hooks & great vocals. Their discography is pretty expansive and some records are particularly tough to track down (I spent FIFTEEN YEARS looking for the A Promise Is A Promise 7") but every record in this picture is worth your time.

If you have to start somewhere, you cannot go wrong with the Wanna Smash Sensation LP. Wall to wall hits. Please listen to this band, you're missing out on something special. This would be a reunion tour I could get behind.

Bum - A Promise Is A Promise7" - Lance Rock - Black Vinyl
Bum - At the Well - Lucky 7" - Clear Green Vinyl
Bum- Go Crazy 7" - Au Go Go - Black Vinyl
Bum - Debbiespeak 7" - Lance Rock - Black Vinyl
Bum - Mrs Rock And Roll 7" - One Louder - Black Vinyl
Bum / Innerface - Split 7" - First Strike - Black Vinyl
Bum / Fifi And The Mach III - Split 7" - 1 + 2 - Black Vinyl
Bum / Smugglers - Split 2x7" - Top Drawer - Clear Red Vinyl
Bum / Teengenerate - Split 7" - Lance Rock - Black Vinyl
Bum & Scott Henderson - Blobs Vol. 3 7" - Way Out - Black Vinyl
Bum / Pingu - Split 7" - Magic Teeth - Clear Blue Vinyl
Bum - Wanna Smash Sensation LP - Munster - Black Vinyl
Bum - I Am Superwoman LP - Munster - Black Vinyl
Bum - Make It Or Break It 12" - Impossible - Black Vinyl
Bum - Shake Town! Recorded Live LP - Impossible - Black

Missing: Nothing. Pretty sure I've caught them all, but as always, if I'm wrong, please let me know.

Bum - A Promise Is A Promise:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-XgRhwS7Xs

Bum - Debbiespeak:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=K40KSgDeAuM

Bum - Your Disciple:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4KtHKRTfyc