New Pagans “Charlie has the face of a saint”

There was a time I felt like I could hear Wheatus’s 2000 megahit “Teenage Dirtbag” in literally every song with a freakin’ guitar in it. It was bizarre. It felt like every remotely rock-ish track loudly rang with the “Dirtbag” vibe, both it’s fat riff and supremely bratty chorus. But as time has gone by, that song has been replaced and my ears now regularly hallucinate that every song is in fact Nada Surf’s 1996, (also) megahit “Popular”. And “Charlie Has the Face of a Saint”, the new single from Belfast band New Pagans did initially bring it to mind with it’s gorgeous little hook and the cynical storyline…but overall, it’s true sound foremothers are kick ass, grinding alt greats Veruca Salt and hearing that anthemic 90’s thing done this well in 2019 is an absolute treat.