8. Another Way (2003)

The debut album and probably the easiest of TB’s records to rank, and while I do think it’s definitely the worst in the catalogue, it’s surprising how solidified their sound already was from the beginning. None of the songs on the record sound out of place or sound as if they weren’t sure about their direction yet — they clearly already knew exactly what sound they were going for. What places this record under all of the others is a noticeably lower skill level (no drum fills and straight up power chord progression), production quality, overall song quality, and most importantly is that this is before Kody joined. An album without Kody’s co-lead vocals just feels a bit empty. Still a great record, but one I rarely find myself returning to.

Recommended Tracks: Pull The Plug, Patrick, and Mini Skirt

7. Stealing The Covers (2017)

The first record made after the passing of drummer Brandon Carlisle, and also a covers record. What I love most about this record is that they decided to not cover any well known songs, but instead to give exposure to their friend’s bands. Because of this direction, it’s hard to say how much the the songs changed from their original since I’ve never heard them; most of the songs just come out sounding like Teenage Bottlerocket originals. With that said, Stealing The Covers does explore a slightly different sound for the band (like adding a bit of synth), but overall the songs are mostly okay-level for TB with a handful of the songs having a silly/joke premise to them which works on the first listen, but keeps the record from having significant replay value.

Recommended Tracks: Robocop Is a Halfbreed Sellout, No Hugging No Learning, and Hat Nerd

6. Stay Rad! (2019)

After a long wait to hear new (original) songs, TB delivers with mixed results on their latest outing. While none of the songs are bad by any measure, on the contrary they’re all quite good, but that’s where they stop — there’s no truly excellent takeaway songs like on other records. What I do appreciate on ‘Stay Rad!’ is the branching out that takes place in songwriting, both in lyrical and instrumental style. The songs feel like they’re coming from road-weary travelers and guys who earnestly have something to say, all mixed together with the nerdy/goofiness that helps define TB.

Recommended Tracks: Anti-Social Media, Stupid Song, and I Want to Kill Clint Carlin

5. Warning Device (2008)

‘Warning Device’ was the last Bottlerocket album to deliver up the no-nonsense pop-punk that had defined their first 2 albums. For many, I believe this is the record that put the band on their radar and I’m sure it’s also many people’s favourite record for this reason. For me, I find it to be an incredibly solid record that only fails by not providing particularly standout singles.

Recommended Tracks: Welcome To the Nuthouse, Pacemaker, and In the Basement

4. Total (2005)

On TB’s second record, they improved upon everything from the debut, easily incorporating Kody’s vocals like he had been there from the beginning. While the production on the album isn’t quite as good as their other records, the songwriting more than makes up for it (particularly on the b-sides). ‘Stupid Games’ shows how good TB are at writing catchy hooks, while ‘Lost in Space’ incorporates sci-fi geekiness into a love song, and ‘Blood Bath At Burger King’ tackles the struggles of being a shift employee at a fast food joint.

Recommended Tracks: Stupid Games, Repeat Offender, and Blood Bath At Burger King

3. Tales From Wyoming (2015)

Initially a disappointment to me, I’ve come around on this record since it came out, finding even more love for it while re-listening to their discography. I think the pre-release singles were partially to blame as they seemed to lack the intensity of their previous two LPs. There’s a lot to appreciate on this release once you warm up to it — there’s an homage to Metallica, a song about Minecraft (how many of those exist), and the Misfits-reminiscent songs ‘Dead Saturday’ (about zombies) and ‘Haunted House’. As much as I love the Mexican food inspired ‘Too Much La Collina’, it’s really ‘Been Too Long’ where TB shines the hardest — combining their harmonies and catchiness with honest lyrics about heartbreak. The one real tarnish on the album is the acoustic closing song. Teenage Bottlerocket is great, but their sound does not translate well to acoustic.

Recommended Tracks: Been Too Long, Dead Saturday, and Too Much La Collina

2. Freak Out! (2012)

This one is nearly a tie for first place for me, but is only slightly edged out of numero uno on the list. There’s so much to say about this album, but there’s a couple things included that are the main ingredients to a great TB record: intensity and originality, which ‘Freak Out!’ serves out in heapfuls. 30 second aggressive opener? Check. Pop culture references to Top Gun, comic-con/Necronomicon, the Karate Kid, and old horror movies? Check. With all that they’re still able to include a track about guys creeping on girls in everyday small towns and a warning to metal heads to limit their head-banging before they injure themselves. This is a very complete album that never stops being fun from beginning to end.

Recommended Tracks: Cruising for Chicks, Maverick, and Mutilate Me

1. They Came From the Shadows (2009)

A damn near perfect album that beautifully walks the line between careless, goofy fun and more serious subjects like heartbreak and relationships. The hardest thing about this record is deciding which tracks are the best, in fact the only track that I could take-or-leave is ‘The Jerk’. For anyone who has lived in a smaller town, ‘Don’t Wanna Go’ perfectly sums up what it’s like after a breakup — fearing leaving your home in case you may run into your ex. The album’s highlight may be the song that I didn’t even know I needed in my life — a song about Teenage Bottlerocket starting a rivalry with KISS, announcing that they’re better than them, being the “world’s greatest rock-and-roll band”. To me, this record is an amalgamation of everything I love about the band — the hooks, the harmonies, the breakdowns, the lyrics, the seriousness/non-seriousness… it’s all there in splendid glory.

Recommended Tracks: Bigger Than Kiss, Don’t Want to Go, and Fatso Goes Nutzoid

Overall Band Ranking: B+

Pros: Teenage Bottlerocket performs Ramones-style pop-punk better than almost everyone else. Lyrics are usually extremely entertaining or heartfelt. Established themselves despite coming from a location that doesn’t get much publicity. They knew what music they wanted to make from the beginning. Duel lead vocals provide a dynamic range.

Cons: Don’t offer much variation between songs and likely can’t as it will adversely affect their established sound.