Smart Shoppers - Shop Among Us

This month I have the honor and privilege to write a review for one of the crown jewels of the Green Bay music scene, the Smart Shoppers, who have just released their third album Shop Among Us.

Smart Shoppers are also fresh off headlining day two of the GBUFO Invasion Fest 2025 at the Historic Riverside Ballroom with a performance some are saying was the best at the Riverside Ballroom since Buddy Holly or the band Gone (who opened for Black Flag at the Riverside Ballroom on 6-13-1986).

Smart Shoppers continue what they have done with their two previous album covers for Dorkwave and Leftovers From Tomorrow, and that is photograph all their album’s covers at grocery stores in the area.

The photo for the cover of Dorkwave was taken at the Aldi located on Western Ave. and the photo that graced the cover of Leftovers From Tomorrow was taken at the Webster Avenue Market.

The cover photo for Shop Among Us was taken at the Mason Bros Red Owl on 9th St.

This is very nostalgic for me because I attended all four years of high school a block away at NEW Lutheran High (located at that time in the old Norwood School).

Another great thing about this album cover is it’s a tip of the hat to the Misfits Walk Among Us album cover and the Red Owl logo helps achieve that design goal.

In regards to the music on Shop Among Us, my first impression of this album is that I had to marvel at the progress this band has seen from the first to the third album.

If Dorkwave (their debut) was the Smart Shoppers lift off, the manner of vehicle in use was the aircraft used by the Wright Bros (the aviation pioneers, not the grocers) at Kitty Hawk.

The manner of aircraft that would signify the progression of Leftovers From Tomorrow would be the British Spitfire (also this airplane’s markings make me think of the band The Jam).

The aircraft that obviously I’m going to choose to signify that huge leap and progression between Leftovers From Tomorrow and Shop Among Us is the ZZ Top Spaceshuttle on the cover of their Afterburner album and featured in the music video of “Sleeping Bag.”

Shop Among Us sounds so darn strong because it’s recorded at Lucky Lamb Studios by Smart Shoppers singer Joe Lambert and not only are the Smart Shoppers making big leaps of progression, but so is Lucky Lamb Studios and Joe’s skill as an engineer and a producer.
Local bands please do not sleep on considering taking advantage of Joe’s continually growing skills.

This album is filled with what we love the Smart Shoppers for — dorky new wave with additional punk flavoring (factory sealed for your protection) — but this album also brings an extra, harder musical edge that at times reminds me of Fugazi and the Jesus Lizard.

My favorite songs from this phenomenal album are “Start Over,” “Spritzer,” “Social Constipation,” “Steaming” and “Story.”