Parasites
"Punch Lines" CD (Shredder)
In 20 years, making a record this good will be a crime. Of course, that's because everyone will be trapped in some egalitarian nightmare and adhere to some lowest common denominator of mediocrity. In the meantime, it isn't a felony yet and Nikki Parasite has almost single-handedly made one of the best albums of recent memory. It's simple: "Crazy" is one of the best singles of the decade. It's doubtful anything with more imaginative lyrics or hummable melodies will come down the pike any time soon. The rest of the album is great as well, but "Crazy" is a song that stays in your head for days, lyrical fragments popping in and out of memory like the disjointed thoughts of an EST patient.
"Pair" CD (Shredder)
This album just isn't as satisfying as "Punch Lines." While Nikki Parasite still plays catchy pop-punk, the lyrics simply rehash the last album's topics with less imagination and the songs sound like he used the last album as a blueprint. Even the organization and track order mimic Punch Lines, which means you shouldn't even bother with this album unless you have an insatiable desire to hear him cover Joni Mitchell's "Both Sides Now."