Glendale punks Countless Thousands are back with their latest album titled And the Triumph of Justice. Many people who are currently letting out a sigh of (some) relief given the current political climate will likely find a lot in common with the sheer joy that comes across in these songs and the extremely appropriate album title. There are political underpinnings to many of the songs, but it is skillfully blanketed with a humor evident by titles like “Space Nazis Must Die!” and “Murder Assassins from the Future.” The band is dead serious, but they are also full of geeky jokes and references that give away a clear Aquabats influence.
There are a ton of styles represented over the course of the album, from the obvious Brian May nod on the opener “The Triumph of Justice” to the traditional Americana of Stephen Foster standard “Hard Times (Come Again No More),” but straightforward punk is the most consistent genre here. As silly as many of the songs may be, moments like the self-described “fascist bashing space opera” “Space Nazis Must Die!” are actually deceptively complex in their ambition, especially because it features, of all things, an appearance from Professor Elemental. An album like And the Triumph of Justice is, to put it simply, sheer fun, a breath of fresh air, and a reminder of this country’s potential just when it is needed the most.
