Reviews/Press: The 28's What A Joke - 2006 Review By Matt & Joe at http://www.myspace.com/springlakelocals http://beefyhouse.com/ http://www.myspace.com/joemaley I received my copy of "What A Joke" today and popped it in the player. As soon as the album started, I instantly thought of what they sound like. The 28's sound like the Offspring, if the Offspring were actually punk. Clay Pigeons sings like an average Joe, or in his case, an average Pigeon. Nothing spectacular, but it keeps me listening because it shows he's into the music, and he's into what he's saying. And the fact that he sounds like an average person singing helps me identify with it more. The more important fact about his singing is, it's what you'd expect from a punk singer. The music will take you back to when punk rock was punk rock. Back before major label Green Day and Blink 182 popified the sound. Back before listening to punk rock wasn't a cool thing to do. Back when punk rock was an escape from the normal world for people that weren't normal. I don't think they sound much like The Methadones, but I get the same feeling when listening to The 28's as I would The Methadones. I take each track in as if it would be the last, and I get excited when the next track starts, because there's more for me to listen to. I don't have anything to say about any specific song, except that as an album, the songs all work very well together. I've always believed that if you hear a song by itself, and when it's over you automatically expect to hear the next song on the album it's from, the album it's from was done very well. This is one of those albums. "What A Joke" has the rawness that you'd expect from a live punk band combined with the crispness of a studio recording, making it the perfect punk album. If you want a refreshing sound on punk rock, you'd be an ignorant ass to go any further than The 28's. 4 of 5 stars -Matt Ok, now for MY review. If no one had told me the name of this band, I would have sworn that these must have been outtakes from the Screeching Weasel album "My Brain Hurts". Trust me folks, that is a very GOOD thing, I had almost thought that era of punk rock was dead. Nothing can be further from the truth. In the likes of bands like Teenage Bottlerocket and The Lillingtons, this band is truly carrying on what is my favorite breed of punk. I don't like comparing bands to such an influential and phenomenal force such as Screeching Weasel, but this band is definately the exception. The first time I heard "My Brain Hurts" I got a warm feeling inside, the album just made you feel GOOD. This record has the same effect on me. Clocking in at just 32 minutes, 35 seconds, and containing 15 solid punk rock tracks, this is truly the future of punk. At least I hope so. Just like the 2005 release of Teenage Bottlerocket's "Total" cd, from the first time I heard this album, I knew I could listen to it a hundred times, then a hundred times again, and not get sick of it. Each and every song has its own personality, it's own direction, but if I were forced to pick a favorite track, I would have to say track 3, "In 30 Seconds" (which oddly enough is just under a minute). Something about that song made me just...smile. Music doesn't do that to me anymore. Enough of my blabbering, seriously, all who read this should go give these guys a listen. Go to their myspace page, which is www.myspace.com/thetwentyeights and you can hear a sample of this cd. A thank you goes out to my buddy Heath Dobbler for turning me onto these guys. Maybe one day we'll get them to come play out here on the east coast. All in all, i give this cd 5 out of 5 stars, I truly, TRULY enjoyed listening to this record. Thank you, you guys. Thanks for opening my eyes, and helping me realize punk rock is NOT dead. -Joe - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - The 28’s debut album “WHAT A JOKE” It would be virtually impossible to pass the 28's debut album off as a debut at all. "What a Joke" is a collection of clever and witty lyrics penned by front man "Clay Pigeons", during his many bouts with inner reflection and stages of post confusion. Written almost entirely as a systematic journal or personal diary. Clay and the 28's set out to both pose and answer the question(s), of damn near every person, that has ever been afflicted with experiences of teenage relationships, bro-hymn betrayal, and adulthood angst. Therapeutic offerings are abound in tracks such as "What am I Asking", "It's too Hard", and "Dance around It". Moments of realization can be witnessed in "30 Seconds", "Apologize for it", "I Listened", "I don't think it Shows", and "Son of a Bitch". Leaving "Always bothered Me", "Un-focus" and "Questioning" hanging around as the prideful yet not so always re-assuring tracks needed to spell fellow tunes, "Trying to go Deaf", "Writing Small", "Another love Song" and the ever so climactic " Sounds like Shit". This album chronicles the 28's in their infancy… a stage where comfort is found and trust is established. At a time where Punk Rock is considered dead (this musical era's easily most over-hyped fallacy) and has given way to Screamo bands, undying metal head anthems, and over produced Ramones covers… rest assured comrades, there is one band willing to see the proverbial rocket actually touch down in Russia… when it does, it will be the 28's kicking off the gig with their already unforgettable monologue type intro... "What’s up Motherfuckersssssss". "What a Joke" is hardly the appropriate title for such a compilation of Screeching Weasel, Queers and Green Day discipline. There are no laughing matters being flicked into this ashtray of nothing newness. The 28's aren't looking to rewrite the books of Punk, they just hope to capture a sentence or two in it's next chapter...Stay tuned! Heath Dobbler http://dobblersdrunkcorner.blogspot.com/ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - “If these guys stop making music we’re all gonna lose the concept of old school punk rock and if you can’t hear that! FUCK OFF!!!” Don Denial - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Clay's singing style is an up-front and raw punk rock style, kind of a combination of Ben Weasel and Johnny Rotten... Rob Shock http://robshock.blogspot.com/ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - .

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