Nervous Passenger

Nervous Passenger are one of those punk bands that serve as a reminder of just how fun punk can be. The Chicago band spew out goofy, lo-fi basement jams that call for moshing, beer chugging, and arm-over-shoulder gang vocals from the crowd. "I hate my job and my life is a mess/I'm not sure how things wound up quite like this/I wish that you would just come hang with me/But I don't think you share the same feelings," croons guitarist/vocalist Stephan Jurgovan on "The Slacker's Lament," a nearly nine minute punk opus. Part of a rich Chicagoland alternative scene, their bassist Nnamdi Ogbonnaya is a crazy talented multi-instrumentalist who also played drums in The Para-Medics (among a slew of other bands). Although I don't think they're still a band, I suggest checking them out as well because they were insanely talented.