Upbeat pop-punk has yet to see its third wave revival, but that doesn’t stop The Creeps from attacking with Lakeside Cabin. An indulgence in the worlds of The Offspring, NOFX and Green Day, the majority of songs on this 11-track effort are indelible bouts of upbeat bounce with infectious choruses and straightforward verses. Occasionally, the band dabbles in the subgenre of folk and Celtic-influenced punk, à la Flogging Molly. That in itself provides an inspired change of pace from the unwavering beat of their primary inspiration. It’s not quite enough — there are few elements on Lakeside Cabin that will appeal to anyone lacking an intense interest in the four-chord, elevated-tempo drive of the aforementioned SoCal instigators. With its crisp production, concise performances and overall enthusiasm, Lakeside Cabin proves that saccharine indie punk still thrives in the outer limits of edgy music.
