Yes, fellow countrymen, in these dark times, we're in dire need of some substantial bands to fill the void left by overrated one-hit wonders Harvey Danger and Semisonic-- bands that pretty much defined the American pop-punk (or should I say, post-grunge?) sound for at least five minutes. Well, Decembers January may as well be one of those lucky successors.

Musically, these guys are already well past comparisons to feeble student-rockers like Remy Zero. This Wisconsin band's sound is caught somewhere between earlier Swirlies stuff and harder-rocking outfits like You Am I or the Figgs. They don't seem to have much to sing about, though, as the lead singer's overbearing cries for attention convey a pretty damn common form of twenty-something frustration and pent-up angst. Then again, at least they ain't Blink 182, eh?

No, Decembers January don't bring anything incredibly novel to the fold, just some much-needed temporary relief from the slow-death emo-core and listless Pedro the Lion-style Christ-core currently darkening our days. On this brief EP, abruptly-shifting chord progressions make for some nice, unsettling tension throughout, though they never stray too far from traditional rock structures. Luckily, there's enough invention going on here to keep you on your toes.

Of course, like many bands, Decembers January are guilty of overusing some already worn-out pop-punk motifs. The guitarist exhibits too much dependence on the now-clichéd approach to accompaniment-- the sort of rhythmic octave-playing that makes for a prudent middle ground between straight power-chording and overt single-note leads. It's a technique that can sound appropriate, but also incredibly safe and predictable when employed on every song. And the apparently nameless frontman tests patience with his vocals: no matter how serious the lyrics may inherently be, there's an overload of what seems like forced passion and emotive overkill, creating more than just a hint of sarcasm or irony-- which may or may not be the desired result.

As a whole, these guys seem a little too high-strung, and desperate to convey a sense of sustained urgency. I guess they're at that pristine moment in time when DIY spirit is still intact, and their youthful energy has yet to be sapped by cheap drugs, disease-ridden groupies and record industry evil. Maybe some of that surplus energy just needs to be utilized in a more creative fashion. On the whole though, I shouldn't bitch. This is a pretty promising debut EP-- a nice kick in the ass, however obscure and insignificant it may seem, for the flagging American pop-punk genre in general.

-Michael Sandlin