I originally stumbled upon Kiwi Jr. in the End of All Music record store here in Oxford. As soon as I walked in and heard “Salary Man” playing I knew I needed to hear more of this album and purchased the Football Money Vinyl.
Kiwi Jr. is a Canadian indie rock band that consists of Jeremy Gaudet, Mike Walker, Brohan Moore and Brian Murphy. “Football Money” is their debut album that was released in 2020 and is full of easy hooks, numerous references from Jesus to James Dean to the Irish Republican Army and a broader picture of the big-city struggle.
First up on the ten-track album is “Murder in the Cathedral.” This song starts strong with a guitar riff and a drum intro that reminded me of the “Hawaii 5-0” theme. The first line in this song mentions how “the SS crashed the party” while having a rather upbeat and carefree tune.
Not to mention references to James Dean is where Kiwi Jr. seems to break the fourth wall, and it feels like they are commenting on James Dean literally walking by while performing the song. This song also frequently throws in the line “You’ll get used to it” which is what’s on the person’s shirt on the album cover and seems to be an overall theme throughout the album.
“Salary Man” is one of my favorite songs off this album and describes the struggles of the working class and how, “They say a man should go to work and not come home” as well as the title and chorus repeating that “I am a salary man.” The song touches on the reason so many of the wealthy office workers have become such robots, which is because they have nothing more fulfilling to do.
Later on in the album in “Soft Water Apple,” it starts with the same style of “Salary Man,” but is a much shorter, personal track that might seem out of place to some. I think this is a great addition, even though many may not even notice a different song came on, but it really ties the album together.
In “Gimme More,” the track immediately following “Salary Man,” they talk about the people who have enjoyed capitalism a little too much and just indulge themselves through purchases of material items and how they only want more. They read out an almost shopping list of things and demands, like the song’s title, “gimme more, gimme more, more more.” Surprisingly enough, this song also contains references from Star Wars to the Irish Republican Army.
Alternatively, with songs like “Comeback Baby,” it is a little more relaxed and seems like an apology to everyone they have wronged in their time as a mindless, capitalist drone as mentioned in “Salary Man.”
The last track of the album, “Wicked Witches,” is a slight change from the rest of the album and is heavier on both the guitar riffs and a beat that can absolutely be stomped or clapped along to. This is a close tie for my favorite track on the album, and right when you think the song is ending it kicks back up even heavier than the intro. This song describes that if Kiwi had “been a bigger man” they would’ve known better, but they ended up losing “the keys to the kingdom to a wicked witch.” It’s a great one and the false ending just adds a whole other layer.
The thing about this album that stands out to me is throughout it Kiwi Jr. never really feels like they’re singing in a studio, but more so that they’re performing and talking to the audience while performing. There’s just something special about the vocals and their witty one-liners when listening that makes this album stand out for me.
This album is a 9/10 for me only because of the 10 tracks and about 30-minute album length. I am extremely glad I found Kiwi Jr. and will consistently be listening to them as long as they put out music. Everyone should give this a shot and if this isn’t your type of music, hey, you’ll get used to it.
