Criminal Kids don’t sound like a band that’s been gone for seven years: they sound like one that’s been simmering. The Chicago punk-n-roll unit is back with “Bad Blood,” their first new music since their debut on Spaghetty Town Records, and it’s as pissed-off and swagger-loaded as anything they’ve done. Maybe more.
The band never technically broke up. The world just cracked in half, lineups shuffled, and Criminal Kids kept playing wherever they could. Midwest punk bills with Zero Boys, Pegboy, and Negative Approach. West coast throwdowns with Agent Orange and Swingin’ Utters. Sold-out hometown shows at Liar’s Club, the kind where beer sticks to your boots and the mic cord’s always half-broken.
And now, finally, they’re back in the studio - and actually recording. “Bad Blood” is the first taste of a batch of new songs that will see a vinyl release later this year. It’s short, scummy, and locked-in: punk rock that doesn’t apologize for loving riffs or for being loud about the places it comes from. RIYL: 70s New York sleaze, California skate punk speed, and the muscle of Chicago bars at 1:45am.
The band hasn’t said much so far, but the message is clear: Criminal Kids are still here, and they’ve still got a score to settle.
There’s no grand mythology here. Just four dudes who never stopped giving a damn, even when the rest of the scene moved on. No rebrands, no reinventions, no calculated comebacks. Just rock music that makes your neck hurt and your brain feel lighter for a few minutes.
In a world of bands trying to go viral or get playlisted, Criminal Kids are still the band most likely to accidentally bleed on your shoes. And honestly, that’s what makes this return feel good - not just because they’re back, but because they never really felt like they left. "Bad Blood" is out now.
