The Bad Man - “90s Kid”

SXSW 2022 - OEB Score: 8; Popularity Index: 2

Pairs Well With…IDLES, The Clash, Fontaines D.C.

The first song off The Bad Man’s upcoming EP Flying Couch is a sonic explosion, loosely controlled cacophony erupting in post-punk fervor. With an industrial reggae bounce borrowed from British Invasion experimenters, The Bad Man adds waves of feedback, wilded New Orleans saxophone, and even a little piano to take “90s Kid” off its platform into depths of new sound. The brass gives The Bad Man a ska drive throughout their catalog, including their last full-length Laughing with Bad Teeth, balanced with frontman Peter Memorich’s gritted, spitted vocal that is consistently at full force. It’s a circus of sound, but The Bad Man are able to tightly weave through subtly complex sections of music within their two-minute punk rock songs with unexpected ease. Checking them out chronologically shows clear growth leading to “90s Kid”, so eyes out for a breakout if the rest of Flying Couch holds this much weight. (Kevin McStravick)