Spectreview: Tacocat – This Mess Is A Place

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“The comfort is change
Endless and free
It’s entirely possible
You’re entirely real”

Does (or perhaps should?) any band represent the present state of Seattle’s music scene more than Tacocat? There might be locals acts putting out more challenging art, but Tacocat bear all the hallmarks of the classic PNW archetype: they play homespun, charmingly unambitious pop-punk; they value honesty and integrity over perfectionism and technicality; and, most importantly, they’ve been at it for a LONG time. Now in their twelfth year, Tacocat have earned their substantial following through relatable tunes and sheer determination, and they’ve been operating long enough to title a record This Mess Is A Place and have it feel apropos, more than a dismissal. Produced by Erik Blood, the band’s newest album leans more pop than punk in sound, but the spirit is strong as always thanks to lead vocalist Bree McKenna’s consistently effusive presence. Of course, deciding to focus on a pop sound requires a greater degree of craft from everyone involved, and Tacocat mostly manage to bridge the gap between what they’re known for and what they’re attempting to do here. The album’s most explicit pop moments shine in particular; “Grains of Sand” struts like one of Paramore’s recent releases, while ultra-catchy lead single “The Joke of Life” surges cheekily with girl-group power touched lightly with surf-rock, like a continuation of Sleater-Kinney’s “Oh!” The back half contains more of the band’s signature pop-punk, albeit still coated in that pop sheen, giving up-tempo tracks like “The Problem” and “Rose-Colored Sky” a more vivid coat of paint. So ultimately Tacocat is still Tacocat, and in today’s world of artistic upheaval that’s a decision made with confidence. This Mess Is A Place only subtly changes up the formula, but then it’s arguably not a formula that needs changing, considering the band’s been doing it so well their way for as long as they’ve been together.

Recommended for the KEXP public stage.