So what’s the deal with Chicago anyway? There must be something in the wind that’s sparking the full force of music coming out of the city these days. Hailing from Chicago, the Lawrence Arms latest release, Oh! Calcutta! is spastic, raw and based on speed alone you’ve got to wonder what these guys are on.



Alcohol alone can’t begin to explain the energy and stamina the album holds throughout. Forceful and commanding, Oh! Calcutta! opens with "The Devils Takin’ Names," and doesn’t let down its unrefined intensity until the mid-tempo "Beyond the Embarrassing Style." The band kicks it right back into high gear again with "Are You There Yet Margaret? It’s Me God." and shows off some of its midwestern twang with the oh, so catchy "Like a Record Player."



As a whole, Oh! Calcutta! will make you want to scream "hell yeah" as you sing a long to song after song. Both musically and lyrically the album’s got a heck of a lot of spunk. And seriously, who doesn’t like spunk?



Grade: A-