The Squirts Gives Audiences One Of 2025’s Most Welcome Musical Surprises With ‘III’

BY: Philip Sayblack

​Finding a record that really stands out among the masses each year is anything but easy.  Yes, there are those records that are good, but the ones that really stand out are even more difficult to find.  Independent rock act The Squirts recently released one of those diamonds in the rough in the form of its aptly titled third album, III.  Released physically May 16 and digitally July 19 through F-Bomb Records and Vanity Music Group, the 10-song record is a work that appeals through its diverse musical arrangements and lyrical themes, each in their own way.  The record’s production puts the finishing touch to the whole, ensuring a record that is easy on the ears thanks to its effect.  Each item noted plays its own important part to the whole of the record.  All things considered they make III one of the best of this year’s new independent albums.
III, the latest album from The Squirts, is a win for the band and audiences alike from beginning to end.  As noted, that is due in part to its featured musical arrangements.  From beginning to end, what audiences get is so much diversity.  ‘Gotta Believe You Now,’ the album’s opener, delivers a unique blend of rock and emo pop that works surprisingly well despite those two distinct leanings.  At times, listeners can make comparisons to works from the likes of Foo Fighters while at others, to more current emo pop acts.  The whole is a composition that is infectious and an easy fit for any active/modern rock radio station’s play list.  ‘When You Die,’ by comparison, is a purer rock oriented song, though some 80s rock influence is notable throughout the nearly 5-minute composition.
As the album progresses into its third entry, ‘Funny You Should Ask,’ listeners get more of an early 90s pop rock vibe.  ‘Didn’t See That Coming,’ the album’s fourth track, is an aptly titled work considering that listeners certainly wouldn’t have seen coming the infectious, danceable work whose steady groove throughout exhibit a clear blend of funk and rock leanings.  The whole is a surprisingly fun track and one of the album’s best entries, musically speaking.  The band really changes things up in ‘Not a Good Day For a Clown.’  Clocking in at nearly three-and-a-half minutes, the noted 90s pop rock influence is once again notable throughout, though the country guitar line peppered throughout makes for even more interest.  The whole is yet another surprisingly fun, welcome addition to the album in whole that continues to exhibit the diversity in the album’s musical body.
‘White Noise,’ the opener for the album’s second half continues the album’s unique musical display.  That is because of its blend of 1960s pop, prog rock and even some metal (yes, metal).  The metal touch is very brief.  It shows up in the very first part of the chorus and is immediately countered by that more pop/prog hybrid sound.  The whole makes for yet another wholly unique addition to the album that further ensures audiences’ engagement and entertainment.
As if everything examined is not enough, the band continues changing things up yet again in the album’s seventh track, ‘Over The Moon.’  Once again here, audiences get something of a prog influence a la The Flower Kings and Spock’s Beard.  It is another change of sound and style from the band that even further displays the album’s musical diversity.
The bluesy approach that the band took to ‘Pins and Needles’ continues to ensure that engagement, as does the more rock oriented penultimate entry, ‘The Other Side of Paradise,’ and the return of the late 80s/early 90s pop rock approach of the album’s finale, ‘Nothing New Under The Sun.’  Simply put, from beginning to end of its 44 minute body, III proves a successful new offering from The Squirts in very large part to the welcome musical diversity that it presents.  The varied styles and sounds that the band offers audiences throughout the album give listeners more than enough reason to take in this album.
Building on the foundation formed through the album’s musical diversity is the lyrical content that accompanies said material.  ‘Gotta Believe You Now’ is a prime example of the important role of the album’s lyrical themes.  In the case of this song, it can actually be interpreted in different ways.  On one end, it could be inferred to be a love song while on another, it could also be seen more as a tribute perhaps to a friend, though the former seems more the case.  This as vocalist/bassist Matt Bissonette sings at one point in the song, “While the world is spinning on a fragile axis/Turning/Will you keep me from disaster after all/But you always have led me to brighter skies/Down elevation/Up conversation/One footprint found/Now I gotta believe you now.”  Earlier in the song Bissonette infers this is something of a romantic statement as he sings, “Just look in my eyes/True peace you will find/And I promise you’ll always be on the side/Where you’ll never cry.”  That declaration that a person will never cry in being with the song’s speaker, is familiar lyrical territory.  It is the kind of statement that is all too common in songs of that very all too familiar topic.  To that end, such familiarity and accessibility is certain to appeal to plenty of audiences.
‘Funny You Should Ask’ is another example of the importance of the album’s lyrical themes.  In the case of this song, this critic could be wrong, but the song comes across lyrically as a social commentary.  This as Bissonnette sings, “Funny you should ask/In a crazy world/That might not last/If you’re asking how I’m doing/Well/I’m fighting off these satellites/Spy balloons/And kryptonite/Wake up in a hole/To see the world/One by one/We all are bleeding soldiers/But this is not/How this war will be won/By one who took it on the shoulder/Our cup is running over/While we duck and cover/From an asteroid, fluttering/Like mashed potatoes/Will be smashed.”  What this statement seems to infer is that this is someone who is not at his or her best, and is telling that other person in a somewhat cynical way, exactly that.  The cynicism about the world continues as Bissonette sings, “Funny you should ask/When the moneymakers all collapse/Will we see/What they are doing/Well I’m fearing public oversight/Nothing’s ever black or white/Take me to the water/Where we all can drink.”  This person is seeing things in a tough light and this is especially clear as the song continues with Bissonette continuing his commentary about the negative forces in the world.  The whole makes for such an interesting discussion point and in turn another example of the importance of the album’s lyrical content.
‘Funny You Should Ask’ is just one of a number of songs featured in III that seems to deliver commentary.  ‘White Noise’ and ‘Pins and Needles’ both come across as delivering their own familiar and accessible commentaries.  Those wanting something equally familiar on the other end of the spectrum get that in another of the album’s apparent love songs in ‘Over The Moon.’  Between those songs, the others examined here and the rest of the album’s entries, the whole makes clear the important role of the lyrical themes featured throughout III.  When those collective themes are considered alongside the album’s musical arrangements, the whole therein makes III all the more engaging and entertaining.
Putting the final touch to III is its production.  The production was self-produced by the band.  That means that the band knew exactly what it wanted to present and clearly did what was necessary.  That is because the result of the trio’s work is that from one song to the next, the instrumental and vocal performances expertly compliment one another.  The positive impact of that balance is that the production ensures just as much engagement and entertainment as the album’s content.  The whole collectively makes III a work in whole that is a fully welcome addition to this year’s field of new independent albums.
III, the latest album from independent rock act The Squirts, is one of the most welcome surprises of this year’s new albums field.  That is due in part to its featured musical arrangements.  The arrangements in question are diverse throughout, offering listeners plenty to appreciate in themselves.  The lyrical themes that accompany that musical material add even more to the presentation.  That is because of their familiarity, their unique delivery fashion and of course, the accessibility related to that uniqueness.  The record’s production puts the finishing touch to the record.  It ensures a positive aesthetic that does just as much to ensure audiences’ engagement and entertainment.  Each item examined is important in its own way to the whole of the album.  All things considered they make The Squirts’ new album proves to be among the best of this year’s top new independent albums.
III is available now through F-Bomb Records and Vanity Music Group.  More information on the album is available along with all of The Squirts’ latest news at:
Website: https://thesquirts1.bandcamp.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/profile.php?id=61560560796803