Reviews

By starting with the thunderous blasts of "A Gift to You From Us" and "Awake," this Canadian band throws themselves into the pack which also holds Big D and the Kids Table and others, though with not as much intensity as their forbearers. But songs like "The Beating" show a sense for the dramatic that has not been seen in a while...although ending the song with a news report about a vague college shooting leaves the listener wondering what it was all about.

The intensity of the rhythm section - Franki on bass and Nico on drums - keeps the energy up when the lyrics start to get a bit depressing. Vocalist Ants sounds a bit like Parry from Nerf Herder but make no mistake, this band does not, repeat, not, sound anything like Nerf Herder. The lilting sentimentality of "Dream Girl" sticks out because of the lyrics; quite simply, this song belongs in the master list of great punk rock love songs.

The seriousness of other songs raises the stakes of this band because it shows that they're able to make themselves a bit different from other group, which is quite a refreshing change. The Real Deal is definitely recommended for fans of Less Than Jake - without the horns - and latter-day Suicide Machines due to the seriousness of something like "Bushido's Way."

By working their own spin on a time-tested formula, the band is making it easier to make a name for themselves and to hope for a long-lasting career. With 15 songs coming in at a blisteringly quick 33 minutes, they know what they need to do to keep the fans' interest up.

In the end, this band is pretty decent, Ants has a good voice that is suited to the band's style. This band will probably be around for a while so keep your eyes peeled.