Punk rock is a tricky genre of music to dissect. In one corner, you have the punk rock bands who talk about current affairs, politics and worldwide issues within their music and make albums dedicated to these controversial topics. Albums such as “Sandinista”, “For Blood And Empire” and more recently “Grey Britain”, ooze clever lyrics and scathing remarks about the world we live in, all the while still serving, ultimately, the main purpose of music; to entertain. Then we have in another corner, the fun, jovial, humorous side of punk rock. This is the corner in which Bowling For Soup belong to and always have done since their very first album, "Bowling For Soup". Albeit it wasn’t until 2002’s “Drunk Enough To Dance,” that Bowling For Soup were thrust into the punk rock limelight, but even then Bowling For Soup were still the underdogs in a world dominated by the likes of Offspring, Green Day and Blink 182; bands that had the same non-serious persona as Bowling For Soup, but who capitalised from this much more than Bowling For Soup did. Whilst the likes of Green Day in 2009, are much more grown up and sophisticated with their music, Bowling For Soup are still the fun-loving underdogs from Texas, who just love to party. They haven’t grown up in one bit and 'My Wena' is as good a track as any to illustrate this.

The first clue to just how intellectual this song is likely to be is the actual name, 'My Wena', which we all know is another word for a mans private parts and is a word largely used by boys aged 13 and under. Secondly, the front cover boasts a picture of a woman, dressed in a giant penis costume, whilst the Bowling For Soup members either lick or touch any part of the “wena” they can. Again, a rather immature and juvenile image to have as your front cover, but that is the only way Bowling For Soup know. They are basically four men who although they have physically aged, their mental state has progressed no further than the 19 year olds that they once were. This domineering characteristic of the band is however, what has gained them such a cult following and loyal fan base over the years. A problem they could encounter in the year 2009 is that, just as the band have grown, so too have the listeners who once followed them and just because Bowling For Soup show no signs of maturing, it doesn’t mean their fans have necessarily done the same.

So what is too be expected of Bowling For Soup in 2009? Well, if 'My Wena' is anything to go by, then we can expect more of the same songs dedicated to the most random of topics and absurd subjects, picking up from where “The Great Burrito Extortion Case“ left off in 2006. Sung by Jared in his usual pop punk, chirpy manner, 'My Wena' is as catchy as it is comical, an effect that Bowling For Soup seemed to have with many of their previous songs. From the seriously earnest way in which the song is sung to the euphemisms surrounding the track, 'My Wena' is an easy track to listen to, that clings onto your memory for the rest of the day. Yes its topic is one of juvenility and there are lines in the song such as “My Wena is lonely tonight, she cries when I turn off the light,” but somehow it is strangely entertaining, for a bit. The novelty of the song does start to wear after the fifth or sixth play and repeat mode is definitely a no go.

Certainly not their best effort but by no means their worst, 'My Wena' isn‘t a lyrical masterpiece, but it does cleverly disguise some of the more tongue-in-cheek moments with some clever wordplay. That being said, Bowling For Soup will attract two types of people with 'My Wena'. A) the hardcore Bowling For Soup fans and B) people who are just curious enough as to what a track entitled 'My Wena' will exactly entail. It is a brave move by Bowling For Soup to make this unashamedly ludicrous song the first single off their new album which will inevitably veer some older more mature fans away from it and push newer, younger fans towards it.

Lets just see if the risk pays off and whether Bowling For Soup will have to apologise for a whole lot more than just “Partyin”, when the album is released.