Syracuse Me

Out With The Old, In With The Dudes

Written by: PP on 02/03/2009 14:25:59

Alright peeps, here's some more music from the ridiculously good Canadian music scene for you. The band in question is the Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island-based Syracuse Me with their debut EP "Out With The Old, In With The Dudes", whose title reflects the sort of humour these guys have sprinkled all over their brand of melodic hardcore/punk rock throughout the record. You know what that means: vehement, ferocious vocals that are equally harsh and scratchy as they are melodic and decipherable, precisely the way I like it when it comes to vocals on a punk rock record.

Instrumentally, Syracuse Me references bands like American Armada, Smartbomb, Lifetime, Kid Dynamite and partly Daggermouth, so it's clear they're not trying to reinvent the wheel here. That's why they need a redeeming force that separates them from the rest, and in this case, it's the omnipresent funny-vibe on the EP; with titles like "Boozemobile vs The Pumpkin, Round 3", "Syracuse This!" and "All The Way With Stephanie K", you can tell these guys aren't from the serious end of the punk rock spectrum. That's also the key strength of the EP: while it's raw, passionate, fiery and contains high levels of energy, just like every other melodic hardcore record out there, it's also playful, fun and wonderfully unserious. Take "Boozemobile..." for instance, which starts out with a nice, playful melodic guitar lead and an audible bass-line, then morphs seamlessly into NOFX-style punk rock chords, before it's straight into Smartbomb/American Armada type melodic hardcore for the rest of the song. Throw in a catchy chorus on top and they've sealed the deal. More technical delivery can be found on "Never Say Never Dude", another bombastic track sure to turn some heads in a live environment at the very least.

Pretty much the only criticism I have for the record is that it's way too short. After 17 minutes the record's raced you by, leaving you wanting for more of the catchy chorus meets aggressive verses combination, let alone the simple but effective feel-good atmosphere the entire record emits throughout. Otherwise, "Out With The Old, In With The Dudes" should be on the dinner plate of anyone into punk and melodic hardcore: it's a very good record with all the essential elements from the genre, even if it isn't among the best in the genre.

Download: Boozemobile Vs The Pumpkin Round 3, Never Say Never Dude
For the fans of: American Armada, Smartbomb, Daggermouth
Listen: Myspace

Release date 29.09.2008
Takedown Records

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