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Song Review: Florida by Spike Polite & Sewage

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Spike Polite & Sewage’s “Florida” is a sonic middle finger disguised as a postcard from the Sunshine State. Opening with a piercing guitar line that quickly fractures into syncopated melodic fuzz, the track wastes no time in setting the stage for chaos in the sun. Power-chord grit shines hard on the downbeats, while Johnny Arkansas’s tight, restless drum fills keep everything taut and twitching. It’s punk, but with a precision and unpredictability that makes the listener lean in.

When Spike enters, his vocals ride the rhythm like a blade against glass. Delivered with satirical bite, he paints a scene of naked women sipping drinks on the beach, harmonies shimmering like a warped Beach Boys daydream. It’s an idyllic mirage, until the 16th-note power-chord kicks in and Spike spits out, “We’re having fun. Let’s go.” The line lands like a dare. You know the storm is coming.

And then it hits. Chunky, pounding power chords stomp in like the corporate giants Spike skewers: retirees chasing eternal sunshine, thinning hairlines, and climate-denial smiles. The song drags you between the palm-tree fantasy and the nightmare lurking beneath—alligators, stingrays, hurricanes, tidal surges. The articulation of “Flor-i-da” itself becomes a punchline, awkward and jagged, like the state’s own contradictions.

Musically, the band refuses autopilot. Michelle Shocked’s bass is rapid-fire and locked in with Arkansas’s drums, shifting gears with every syncopated twist. Antonio Romano’s guitar snarls in counterpoint, fleshing out the band’s sonic assault without ever stepping into cliché. Together, they weave a punk soundscape that’s both sun-bleached and apocalyptic.

What makes “Florida” remarkable is that it isn’t “punk by numbers.” It’s unpredictable, clever, and unrelenting. Like Florida itself, the song lures you with promise only to turn on you with danger. You’ll find yourself headbanging one moment, smirking the next, and double-checking your emotional storm insurance after.

This is punk with teeth—satirical, dangerous, and all too real.

Artist Bio


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Born out of the grit and rebellion of New York City’s Lower East Side, Spike Polite & Sewage carry the torch of political punk with a history steeped in civil unrest and raw underground energy. From the chaos of the Tompkins Square Park riots to sharing stages with legends like GG Allin, the band has built a legacy of fearless confrontation and uncompromising sound. Over the years, lineups evolved, but the mission stayed the same: confront injustice with a wall of noise, spit, and truth.

Today, the lineup features Spike Polite (vocals/lead guitar), Michelle Shocked (bass/vocals), Antonio Romano (guitar), and Johnny Arkansas (drums). Together, they deliver high-voltage sets that straddle satire and fury, channeling decades of punk rebellion into every riff and lyric.

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