Beat the Band

I’ll admit, I went into *Beat the Band* skeptical. The first book, *Swim the Fly*, was a riot, but sequels often soften the edges. Not here. Calame leans *hard* into the chaos, and the audiobook—thanks to Nick Podehl’s electric performance—makes it sing. Podehl’s voice work is next-level: he gives Coop a gravelly, self-satisfied drawl that makes every delusional line funnier, while Matt’s voice cracks under the weight of his own overanalysis. The real standout, though, is how Podehl handles the *group* dynamics—when the three boys are bickering or hyping each other up, it feels like eavesdropping on real friends, not scripted banter. The plot itself is a masterclass in escalating stupidity. The band premise is thin (they’re terrible musicians, which is the joke), but the real story is the boys’ desperate attempts to impress girls, survive Health class, and not murder each other. The humor lands because it’s *specific*—like the scene where they debate the ethics of using a girl’s lost tampon as a “good luck charm” (yes, really), or when their band’s one “hit” is a song about erectile dysfunction. That said, the pacing drags slightly in the middle; the battle-of-the-bands arc feels stretched, and a few gags overstay their welcome. And while the ending ties things up neatly, it lacks the emotional punch of the first book’s finale. Still, the audiobook’s strength is in its *delivery*. If you love YA that’s equal parts heartfelt and gross, or if you’ve ever been 17 and convinced you were one grand gesture away from coolness, this’ll hit home. Just maybe skip the chapter with the “chafing incident” if you’re squeamish.