Five Hundred Bucks

On their second full-length Pest Sounds, Philadelphia’s Five Hundred Bucks have written a set of maximalist punk rock songs that buzz like a metal detector in a crowded mine-field while never shying away from classic pop structures and affecting storytelling. This is the sound of a new and exciting band stumbling onto their masterwork.  

Going back a few years, Jeff Riddle (formerly of The Holy Mess) got together with his old friend, drummer William Francis Orender (Captain, We’re Sinking), to fulfill an assignment of writing the soundtrack the hit indie horror flick Uncle Peckerhead, written and directed by Riddle’s friend and close collaborator, Matthew John Lawrence. The band made a name for themselves on their 2022 debut $500, as well as with the success of Uncle Peckerhead, but have dug even deeper into their modus operandi of following wherever their muse leads them on this new batch of songs.  

“We’re doing this for us,” says Riddle of their approach. “If people connect with it, great. But we’re not writing for anyone else.” And it’s that defiance that shapes Pest Sounds, which swings from world-dominating heartland anthems like  “Promises of Gold” to the wild, blink-and-you’ll-miss-it fury of “Baker’s Lung.” to the sleazy 70’s rock strut of “The Cramp.” There’s no safe zone here—every track is an unpredictable dive into a new corner of the band’s world.       

Though the album stands out on its own as an artistic achievement for the band, it also continues Riddle’s ongoing collaboration with Lawrence as three of its songs were used to soundtrack his brand new Shudder/AMC film Bloody Axe Wound, which made its theatrical debut this past winter. Riddle, like with Uncle Peckerhead, lends his acting skills to the screen for a small part in this splatter fest.

With the film bound to give Riddle and the band new exposure, Five Hundred Bucks have delivered an album too full of life to be denied. It’s a wall-to-wall tour de force of punk spirit that is nothing short of an infestation of earworms. Pest Sounds, indeed.