Take a Break

AMG Review of Take a Break

MacKenzie Wilson
All Music Guide

Two years after punkifying some of the '60s' more popular songs for Blow in the Wind, Me First and the Gimme Gimmes return with Take a Break, their stab at some of R&B's classier, yet almost forgettable, tunes. The So-Cal five-piece is as rowdy as ever and their own punk rock polish is undeniably infectious. What made Blow in the Wind so great is exactly what makes Take a Break even cooler. It's straightforward ock & roll without the swagger -- tomfoolery without being lame -- and Me First and the Gimme Gimmes are clever in giving new life to some of these tracks. Whereas Lionel Richie's "Hello" and Prince's "Nothing Compares 2 U" banked success with their heavy-hearted tones, the Gimme Gimmes spike that mood for a punchy, feel-good time. A more electric, rough-edged alternative of Seal's "Crazy" is equally fashionable and slick to the original version. Add a bit of quick wit and pinch-hitting percussion, and the energy of Take a Break is more than enough to impress the new millennium punk kids. If not, the band's pouncing banjo dance of R. Kelly's "I Believe I Can Fly" will do it. Me First and the Gimme Gimmes do ock & roll the right way because they don't try too hard. Take a Break once again showcases why they rock in the first place.