Bad Sports – “Can’t Just Be Friends” MP3 (PopMatters Premiere)

Bad Sports’ three-chord, ever-so-slightly-punky, hook-filled pop recalls late ’70s British pop-punk with a vengeance and this new tune “Can’t Just Be Friends” evokes the tuneful blast of Northern Ireland’s the Undertones most specifically. And they are even a power trio like Britpop gods, the Jam. But this contemporary band hails from the currently fertile musical hotspot of Denton, Texas, not from across the pond. Bad Sports wowed the crowds at SXSW this year and are headed out on the road this fall for a high energy tour. The band’s latest album is Kings of the Weekend, which came out last month via Dirtnap Records.