Party of One are a tight, angular, three-piece from Minnesota, based around the enigmatic presence of guitarist and songwriter Eric Fifteen. The lead track taken from their acclaimed debut LP ‘Caught The Blast’, ‘Snap You Like A Twig’ perhaps best exemplifies Party Of One’s stance - intelligent, immediate punk pop, saturated with black humour, and a nasty, misanthropic streak. ‘Star Sky Sierra’ on the B- side is a haunted, bitter epiphany based around a stripped down acoustic guitar, a subtly vengeful meditation on the end of a relationship. Recorded on Eric’s 8-track, the music’s coarse, immediate DIY approach works with rather than detracts from the pop hooks. Party Of One possess a stubborn, wiry strength, as wilful to stand alone and celebrate dissent as they are able to write a four minute pop song.

Eric's refusal to take an obvious stance in his lyrics is frequently disconcerting and thought provoking. His influences are hard to pin down, and not so obvious as you might think. Referencing everything from Patti Smith, Nirvana, T Rex, Ramones and Captain Beefheart, to the less apparent influences of James Brown, Dirty Three and Can, Party Of One address a slew of targets across the history and geography of the globe. Though ostensibly a vehicle for Eric’s singular wold-view, Party Of One are still very much a band, featuring Terrika Kleinknecht on bass and occasional vocal duties, and Geoff McCusick on drums. And just in case you had them down as anti-social, people-hating cynics, amongst other things, Geoff also teaches fourth grade, and Terrica teaches girls to play the drums.

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