These Are the Good Times People

These Are the Good Times People
Studio album by
The Presidents of the United States of America
ReleasedMarch 11, 2008
Recorded2006 – 2007
GenreAlternative rock
Length39:05
LabelFugitive Recordings
Tooth & Nail
ProducerKurt Bloch
The Presidents of the United States of America chronology
Love Everybody
(2004) 		These Are the Good Times People
(2008) 		Kudos to You!
(2014)
Singles from These Are the Good Times People
  1. "Mixed Up S.O.B."
    Released: 2008
  2. "Ladybug"
    Released: 2008
  3. "Rot in the Sun"
    Released: 2009
  4. "More Bad Times"
    Released: 2009

These Are the Good Times People is the fifth studio album by The Presidents of the United States of America. It was released on March 11, 2008.[1] This is their first album to feature Andrew McKeag instead of Dave Dederer on guitbass.

Track listing

All songs written by Chris Ballew unless otherwise noted.

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Mixed Up S.O.B." 3:05
2."Ladybug" 2:34
3."Sharpen Up Those Fangs" 3:05
4."More Bad Times"Dan Leone, Dom Leone, Ballew, McKeag2:59
5."French Girl" 3:04
6."Truckstop Butterfly" 2:04
7."Ghosts are Everywhere"Ballew, McKeag, Finn4:08
8."Loose Balloon" 2:45
9."Flame is Love" 2:39
10."So Lo So Hi" 2:18
11."Poor Turtle" 2:48
12."Rot in the Sun" 2:25
13."Warhead"Ballew, Dale Peyser1:54
14."Deleter"Ballew, McKeag, Finn3:17

"More Bad Times" is a loose cover of an Ed's Redeeming Qualities song.

Bonus Tracks

  • "Rooftops in Spain" – 2:41 (UK iTunes / Japan CD)
  • "Scrappy Puppy" – 2:54 (all iTunes)
  • "Truckstop on the Moon" – 4:14 (Walmart mp3 store)
  • "What the Hell" – 3:30 (Amazon / Napster)

Personnel

  • Chris Ballew – vocals, bass
  • Andrew McKeag – guitars
  • Jason Finn – drums
  • Nikka Costa – vocals on "Deleter"
  • Mark Hoyt – backing vocals on "Poor Turtle"
  • The Love Lights Horn Section – on "Sharpen Up Those Fangs", "Ghosts are Everywhere" and "Deleter"
    • Jerimiah Austin – trumpet
    • Sarah Jerns – trumpet
    • Diana Dizard – baritone sax
  • Martin Feveyear – mixing

Response

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic(56/100) [2]
Review scores
SourceRating
AbsolutePunk86% [3]
Allmusic [4]
Billboard(favorable) [5]
Drowned in Sound(3/10) [6]
Mojo [2]
musicOMH [7]
PopMatters [8]
Q [2]
Uncut [2]

Critical response to These Are the Good Times People was mixed. The album so far has a Metacritic rating of 56 out of 100 based on "mixed or average reviews".[2] musicOMH remarked, "There's nothing complicated on this album, but then when did things ever need to be complicated?"[7] Allmusic said that in view of the lineup changes, the album is "perhaps their most eclectic album to date."[4] Billboard found that while nothing on the album is as immediately memorable as "Lump" or "Peaches," several tracks "come across as less novelty-like as a result of songcraft."[5] Uncut magazine felt the record was "the desperate death-throe of a rank '90s relic."[2]

References

  1. ^ The Official PUSA Music Site – News
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Critic Reviews for These Are The Good Times People". Metacritic. Retrieved 2013-02-26.
  3. ^ AbsoutePunk review
  4. ^ a b Allmusic review
  5. ^ a b "Billboard review". Archived from the original on March 10, 2008. Retrieved 2008-03-24.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  6. ^ "Drowned in Sound review". Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2013-02-26.
  7. ^ a b Shepherd, Sam (2008-03-10). "The Presidents Of The United States Of America - These Are The Good Times People". musicOMH. Archived from the original on 2008-03-14. Retrieved 2013-02-26.
  8. ^ PopMatters review