Review: Night Birds - Maimed for the Masses EP

       Night Birds' wave-rippin', pill-poppin', no-stoppin' 4 track EP "Maimed for the Masses" dropped on May 7th under Fat Wreck Chords, in prelude to upcoming LP "Born to Die in Suburbia", scheduled to be released on Grave Mistake Records in July. The Night Birds are horror-flick junkies known for their affinity with macabre song topics, legendary pizza discussions, pop-punk a la The Ergs, disdain for authority and a root-down, unique interpretation of play-fast punk in a refreshing, exciting outlet.


       This  7"  packs  a  serious  surf-punk  punch, as  expertly demonstrated in its title track "Maimed for the Masses", which is about wrestling legend Mick Foley, and how he sacrificed his body for the good of the people.  The second track on the album, "Barred Out" is a hearkening to the suburbanite's innate ingrained tendency to lose your cool, get high and say "Fuck it, dawg." This track is like a throwback to Midnight Movies and the Self Titled EP, with its outright fast and genuinely original sound. Next up is the auto-erotic asphyxiation anthem "Last Gasp". This song is probably my favorite on the album, complete with suspenseful spooky surfy guitar, off-the-wall drum patterns and angsty vocal incantations. The singer clues us in on one  of his favorite down-time hobbies: "I don't care if they stare, when they find me lying there, because I died, satisfied". Definitely going to be humming this tune in my head for weeks to come. "Boat Trash" is the last song on the album, and it's dirty, scummy and gravelly, yet still ridiculously groovy. Makes me want to get up and dance. It's written in traditional radical surf instrumental fashion, the guitar making you feel like Magnum P.I. on the beach with some floozies, the drums nonchalant and chill as fuck, the bass fuzzy and warm, and the only lyrics being "BOAT TRaAaAaASHHHHHHH". A great closing track and great competition for the band's other instrumental tracks like "Squad Car" and "Harbor Rats".

       Overall, "Maimed for the Masses" is another solid release from New Jersey and New York's finest self-proclaimed "thoroughly modern morons". Right up there with "Killer Waves" in my book. Night Birds are always up to something, if it's not creating masterpieces, it's touring all over the place and coming out with some of the coolest band merch I have seen.


Full streaming of the album can be found here.  For a more complete retinue of NB tunes, go here. From cheap shades to sweet swagger for your favorite jean or leather jacket, you can get your Night Birds merch and records fix here. 

Written by Austin Raff