The Underground Railroad to Candyland – The People Are Home

From the Garage of Todd C

Todd Congelliere’s personal background is fucking cool. Most of the time, growing up in southern California just minutes from the ocean can make you more interesting than normal, but veteran Todd C. took it to levels beyond that. Not only is he an OG pro skater from the fantastic 80s/90s era, he’s been in some of the most well-known punk and pop-punk bands out there and owns his own record label (Recess Records), carrying big names like Screeching Weasel and Propagandhi, and of course his own bands: F.Y.P., Toys That Kill and The Underground Railroad to Candyland. And the latter of those bands recently released their third album, The People Are Home.

Toys That Kill fans might think Candyland sound very similar—and they’d be right. Several TTK members are also Candyland members: Todd C., drummer Jimmy Felix, bassist Chachi and vocalist/guitarist Sean Cole. “I always wanted it to sound like an old surf-y record,” Todd C. said in a Noisey interview about The People Are Home, and it is safe to say that was accomplished, giving us a garage rock, lo-fi sound.

The nice thing about The People Are Home is that it’s also punk, but it’s not gross, spitting and shitting on, can’t understand what he’s saying, punching people in the face, punk. Because that’s not fun. Instead, The People Are Home takes a lighter approach—but still maybe not something you’d want to have your grandma listen to—and it’s fun. Instrumental track “Omstro” is a great example of this lightheartedness, containing the right amount of brass, percussion and guitar.

Aside from “You Don’t Like The Summer,” there isn’t ever a time Todd C. stops yelling-singing. He’s just pumped the whole time, managing to remain not only tolerable, but enjoyable. Stand-out moments include a line in “Let’s Go! Take It Slow!” where you’ll hear, “Now you’re hitting on girls in electric chairs,” and the entire “Diamond Ring” song being the catchiest – but really it is the album as a collective whole that calls for attention.

Is The People Are Home worth picking up? Absolutely, especially if you’re an old-schooler.