The Mizzerables

The words "pop punk" mean something entirely different today than they did 20 years ago. Somewhere along the way synthesizers and shimmering production quality replaced the "punk" element of the genre, reducing it, simply, to pop music. If you yearn for the days when Tim Armstrong, Brett Gurewitz and Fat Mike ruled the scene, then The Mizzerables newest album might satisfy your thirst. Already one of this writer's favorite local releases of the year after just a few spins, Every Last Stitch is a much needed reminder of pop punk in the'90s with enough originality to stick in your head for days to follow. - Chicagoist

Though “Every Last Stitch” may be Chicago punk act The Mizzerables‘ first full-length album, if you were to hear it without having any knowledge of the band, you’d most-likely think it was at least their fourth record. Everything about this album, whether it be the tone of the bass or the way the sound of the vocals seems to fit perfectly with the instrumentation, is literally flawless.

Almost every track on “Every Last Stitch” has the potential to be any and every punk’s anthem, with a certain sing-along-ableness (yes, I just made that phrase up) comparable to that of classic songs like “Sing Along Forever” by the Bouncing Souls or, perhaps, the Face To Face‘s “Disconnected.” And, as most of us know, this is something rarely, if ever, heard on a band’s first full-length effort.

Stand out songs include the album’s first track “Pick It Back Up,” driven by a beefy Rancid-esque bassline that I could totally picture Matt Freeman breaking out in a jam session, as well as the ever-so-catchy “Bottoms Up,” which, along with its music video, is quickly becoming a fan favorite, and closing track “Scarlet Letters,” featuring female backup vocals that really complement frontman Joe Mizzi’s voice and a little keyboard playing, both of which add a little more dimension to the sound of “Every Last Stitch.”

From beginning to end, this is the perfect modern punk album. It has a good mix of extremely well-composted and flawlessly played speedy punk ‘n’ roll and pop-punk that, at one point, will make you want to throw some elbows in the pit and, at others, will urge you to throw your fist in the air and shout along to the lyrics as loud as humanly possible. - Dying Scene

The Mizzerables is a high energy punk band from Chicago who will whip your ass like a German dominatrix with a heart of gold.” - Hip Rock Magazine

These guys cook with the best of them and can lay down a tight beat with snappy guitar riffs and great vocals. - The Electric Ear

Selected in the Local Top 10 - Rock in Chicago

It’s hard for me to put my thumb on exactly what genre The Mizzerables’ music falls under. Some of their stuff’s pop-punk, other stuff’s punk ‘n’ roll-ish, and they even dabble in a little ska and bluegrass. Their debut full-length “Every Last Stitch” may be one of the strongest debut efforts I’ve ever heard. Most bands sound like they’re still uncertain of how they wanna sound on their debut full-lengths. The Mizzerables, on the other hand, have their shit together and sound like they’ve been playing together for many years. - Dying Scene

Rancid have been covered on several occasions, probably most notably by NOFX, but few have come across as wonderfully eclectic yet still urgent as Chicago punk rockers The Mizzerables‘ and their cover of ‘Olympia, WA’. - The Marshalltown

Being a pop-punk band in Chicago – the unofficial home to some of the greatest pop-punk bands out there – is a pretty daunting task. But Joe Mizzi and his crew in The Mizzerables are up for the task. - New Noise Magazine

Already one of this writer’s favorite local releases of the year after just a few spins, Every Last Stitch is a much needed reminder of pop punk in the’90s with enough originality to stick in your head for days to follow. - Chicagoist