The Huntingtons
Fun and Games
Reviewed by Bruce A. Brown
Disclaimer for those who love punk, but were disheartened by the perceived lack of "Christian" content in MxPx's Life In General album: you will really hate The Huntingtons. Actually, that's not completely fair. Musically, there's a lot for you to love about Fun and Games. It's unquestionably legit punk music, and it is assuredly lots of fun. And if you listen hard enough beneath the buzz-saw guitars and "tribute to The Ramones" tempos, you'll certainly hear Christian messages. For example, the opening "Allison's The Bomb" is a tribute to a girl who "must've come straight out of heaven;" "Lucy's About to Lose Her Mind" is about a person desperate to know life's meaning but still refusing the help of friends; "The Only One" is the story of a boy and girl struggling to maintain their purity in the face of physical temptations. But the bulk of the songs, much like those on Life In General, are just about being a kid. There's stories of bullies ("Don't Beat Me Up"), babysitters ("She's A Brat") and druggies ("Crackhead"). And there's still more boy/girl tunes--"All She Knows Is Breaking," "Losing Penny," "Friday Night at the Rec"--all of which are innocent without being cloying. These guys know their way around a hook and deliver the lyrical goods, though not in the evangelistic fashion for which some listeners might hope.