Review by Doug Cornell

A lot has happened since the Presidents of the United States of America appeared on anyone's radar.  The band was destined to be a guilty pleasure, a flash-in-the-pan outfit that one took seriously.  Before disbanding in 1997, they scored a few hits, most notably "Lump" and a fun cover of "Video Killed the Radio Star."  The band was on every TV show, from Letterman to Leno, then they split up and it seemed like no one was surprised or even cared.  Perhaps this is the reward for bands who don't take their music "seriously." 

The POTUSA have reunited and released a most surprising record.  Love Everybody is a blast of honest fun that could surely cure anyone's depression, at least for a few moments. 

Relying on mostly guitars, bass, and drums, the POTUSA bridge the gap between pop-punk and pure punk.  The band sounds like they're having so much fun, one doesn't care that the songs are bright and whimsical.  The opening blasts of sonic mayhem in the title track set the tone that this isn't a weak pop record.  Besides containing lots of crunch, the lyrics are actually coherent and entertaining.  "Some Postman," which has a touch of Weezer running through the melody, tells a tale about a postman who is "grooving to all our love letters."  "Clean Machine" combines fuzz guitars and bass and releases a furry blast of bouncy fun.  "Highway Forever" is a rumbling track that is probably the result of studio jamming, but  its rock-a-billy bass line and slam/bang guitars keep the track from being a throwaway.

"Zero Friction" is a fun, zippy tune that tells a tale of living in a space station with a monkey (trust me, it works).  The POTUSA's filler tunes are better than most band's "A" material: "Surf's Down" is an example of how to play a nifty instrumental surf tune in under two minutes.  "Poke and Destroy" is nearly perfect punk, while "Munky River" turns down the volume, relying upon a swampy guitar/bass line to carry the melody.  The guitars and tempo are turned up to full blast on "Drool at You," the band turns poppy again on "Vestina," then cranks out some pseudo-metal on "5,500 Miles," (one of the most powerful and interesting tracks on the album).

Love Everybody is a near perfect return to form for the POTUSA.  During these difficult times, we could all use a little bit of whimsy.  No one expected the POTUSA to release one of the most important records of the year, but they did.  So there.