Fake Problems — It's Great To Be Alive

Fake Problems sound like all my idols collaborated to create one awesome punk/rock/ska/reggae/country/pop/rockabilly super orgy group.

It's Great To Be Alive is the Florida quartet's third studio album and their first from SideOneDummy. It's ridiculously solid in lyrics and composition and offers a variety of musical styles while still remaining cohesive. While these dudes are young, their calibre of talent is impressively advanced.

"Tabernacle Song" reminds me of the drunken love child of labelmate Flogging Molly and Bob Dylan (believe me, it's possible, and it's fuckin awesome). "Alligator Assassinator" makes me want to bust out a stand-up bass, put on my leopard print cowboy hat and snap my fingers.

This is an album that truly makes me excited to be a music journalist. It's so stellar that I downgraded my other ratings so you'd know how awesome this is. I didn't give it a five, though, because all my fives go to Brand New, who sound nothing like Fake Problems.

Regardless, It's Great To Be Alive is definitely my favourite album of 2009 so far, and will probably still be up there at the end of the year.