Los Pepes were formed two years ago by ex-Winnebego Deal frontman Ben Perrier and Japanese punk Seisuke Nakagawa, and their entirely lovable debut album is perkier than a cheerfully outdated reference to a squeaky-voiced marionette pig.
They wear their love of the Ramones and Phil Spector’s 60s girl groups on their leather sleeves, approaching each effervescent, infectious, adorable song with the tripping-over-itself enthusiasm of a labrador puppy chasing a squirrel.
I Just Don’t Know and Modern Life nod to the pop-punk of the Buzzcocks, and even at their most “I don’t need anyone else, so there” agro on Guilty Pleasures, there’s still a spoonful of sugar sprinkled on top.
Power pop of the highest wattage, Los Pepes For Everyone is 35 minutes of pure joy, arriving just in time to light up the winter./o:p