Reviews

At band practice a few months ago in Santa Cruz, CA we heard noise coming from a few spaces over. "Oh yeah," said our drummer, "I'd heard that Craig's Brother was back together." Formed in Santa Cruz in the early nineties, CB released two big albums on Tooth and Nail and then went dormant until this EP. Three years have passed since their last LP, and have leant a newfound sophistication to an already mature band. Their pop-punk sound is intact, and although they tread some worn emo routes about relationships ending, the lyrics are mostly fresh and exciting, especially those in Epissdumbology: "We don't need an excuse anymore/ we can bend half truths and fabricate a war." Ah, Santa Cruz, your über-liberal politics haven't let me down yet. The line "I can't tell which is news and which is retail" perfectly sums up so much of what's wrong with the information age, when wars are sold to the people, rather than have the people consent to action.  After such a great track four, track five with its "bleeding, nearly dying," and "I wanna see through the smoke that hides your eyes" seems below CB, a big down note to end the short disc on. With this EP expect catchy sounds, nasal vocals (ala The Proclaimers), excellent guitar playing, one prefect song, one throwaway, just too few songs in general.