This selection was made by Gen X dad.

Gen X dad says:

Wife Patrol hails from Indianapolis. They’re a trio – Nicole on bass/vocals, Natasha on drums/vocals, and Greg on guitar/vocals.

The band formed in 2015 and released their first release was Electric Blizzard EP in 2016. They followed that up in 2018 with the Orange EP. Too Prickly For This World, their self-released debut album, came out in September 2020.

According to their website, the band “distills everything its members love about rock with none of what is obsolete.” This includes 90s grunge and alt-rock, 80s pop and new, and 70s punk. It is a pretty accurate description of their style which blends the aforementioned genres into a direct, catchy batch of pop/rock songs.

The band toured quite a bit after forming and built a reputation for their live performances. That shows in the tight and lively performances on the album. There’s nothing extra or fancy with these songs. Just straight forward tracks that don’t waste your time, but do provide a fun and entertaining listening experience. Just go buy it and have a good time.

It is all pretty good, but some highlights include – Let’s Hang Out, Spyro, Valentine Citrus, Girl Cactus, Microphone, and Starlight Sun.

Gen Z son says:

I had recently discovered Wife Patrol, who come from Indiana, one month ago when a song of theirs, Let’s Hang Out, was playing on our local independent radio station, CHIRP Radio. Said station has been a sort of goldmine for me and Gen X dad, who’s also a DJ there, of indie artists we somehow hadn’t stumbled upon before – one such artist, Country Westerns, had made a record that was among one of Gen X dad’s favorites of 2020.

On Too Prickly For This World (which is their debut album, I believe), the band delivers a mix of different styles of rock music – there’s tracks with energetic, punky riffs, like the aforementioned Let’s Hang Out or Girl Cactus, and then there’s slower, harder, even metal-ish numbers, such as Your Mother – all topped off with infectious indie-rock hooks.

What’s cool, however, isn’t the diverse selection of styles – it’s how the band keeps the album consistent all the way through. The album can transition from a fast-paced, aggressive punk song to a slower, more accessible song without much of a problem. Maybe it’s because of the aforementioned catchy hooks and melodies, but the album just sounds consistent all the way through.

In short, not only is Too Prickly For This World a strong debut – it’s also a solid collection of tracks with a unique palette of styles mixed in. I’d recommend it if you’re looking for some new rock acts to listen to. Now it’s time to see what other kinds of crazy stuff CHIRP will throw at us next…