Mucho Mistrust, the title of Oakland, California punk-influenced indie outfit Fake Fruit’s latest album out on Carpark Records, comes from a line in Blondie’s famous “Heart of Glass” song, and for them it could have to do with a bad ex-boyfriend or, more likely, someone in a suit. They are a super tight, super visceral band that, for me, recall the breakout DC afro-cuban-influenced punk indie outfit from the turn of the century, The Makeup, saxophones and all.

“Pity’s sake / double take / I shake you till you are awake / you just lie there / while the world’s weight crushes me,” they sing on the album’s title track. They have their own fair share of rage which shows up in Ham D’Amato’s passionate punk rock voice, but they also deal with the trials of life with humor and intelligence. “Cause of death / indecision / Can’t stop the bleeding / if there’s no incision.”

They are a high energy band, working it seems, to make up for the hits Capitalism and questionable people and circumstances seem to keep delving out. “Was I moth-to-lighted or life-long indicted / Whatever it was wasn’t requited,” they sing on one of the slower songs on the record. The record starts off fast, like “Ponies” out of the gate. But the duration of the record actually shows a great deal of range, so that perhaps punk is not the best genre to use to describe them.

There is the song, mid-album, “Venetian Blinds,” that recalls Dry Cleaning, with its talk rock and syncopated guitar (in fact Talking Heads could be considered a big influence on a lot of the tracks). There’s the song “Gotta Meet You,” with its clunky cowbell and B-52’s like wavering sax, which is either about a creep who won’t leave you alone or, a theme on the album, that those people who don’t treat you well don’t really take the time to get to know the real you. “Then you’re gonna see / you’re gonna love me too.” They cover a lot of ground on the album, from raucous start to gentler detour, to aggressive finish.

The album ends with the simple word, “Fuck,” and while they are a cathartic band, they are also a band with an up-hill-battle purpose, so that their grief hits twice as hard. It’s an emotionally hefty album, and a quirky sonic masterpiece, with alternately beautiful and angular guitars and versatile vocal performances. You get enough bang for your buck and with the condition of today’s music industry, according to them who are committed to the journey, you should definitely try to get yourself a copy of this or see them at a show out there sometime. An impressive record.

Order Mucho Mistrust by Fake Fruit HERE