Pkew Pkew Pkew

Canadian quartet Pkew Pkew Pkew surfaced in 2012 with their gruff pop-punk sound, yet it was the 2016 self-titled LP—highlighted by the anthemic singalong “Mid 20’s Skateboarder”—that expanded their reach.

The Toronto-based lineup of Mike Warne on vocals and guitar, Ryan McKinley handling guitars and vocals, Emmett O’Reilly on bass and vocals, and David Laino behind the drums drew inspiration from the Bouncing Souls, Rancid, and snotty pop-punk in general. Their first EP, Red Ass, appeared in 2012, followed a year later by the debut album Glory Days. The band’s raucous, beer-soaked performances, driven by crowd-chanting hooks, quickly turned into a sought-after draw. Extensive touring across Canada and the United States, along with opening slots for the Hold Steady, Iron Chic, and PUP, paved the way for the 2016 sophomore release on Royal Mountain. SideOneDummy picked them up the next year and reissued the album as + One with an added track. In 2018 the group resumed live activity, hitting venues throughout Canada and the U.S. while making their European debut.

While earlier songs centered on beer, pizza, nights out, and skateboarding, the members chose to mature their perspective for the third record and enlisted Craig Finn of the Hold Steady as a songwriting advisor. Because Finn’s band had already shaped Warne’s approach, the resulting 2019 album Optimal Lifestyles flipped their snotty pop-punk style into something closer to the Menzingers, Spanish Love Songs, and Titus Andronicus.