Dave Short

Oppenheimer — s/t

Geeky synthpop ear candy. Wish the melodies and lyrics were consistently, instead of merely frequently, catchy.

3/5

Panic! At the Disco — A Fever You Can't Sweat Out

Catchy as hell in places, but too filled with the bad kind of teen angst.

2/5

The Gaslight Anthem — The '59 Sound

Punk finally has some soul.

5/5

Alphaville — Forever Young

Those crazy Germans! The good kind of 80's pop, without apologies or pretense.

3/5

Dragonforce — Ultra Beatdown

Definitely rocks, but the songs run together. Is one 45-min. song or eight 6-min. songs better?

3/5

Even In Blackouts — Myths & Imaginary Magicians

Everything about this record is a contradiction. It shouldn't work, but it does.

4/5

Hub City Stompers — Ska Ska Blacksheep

The dubs are lazy, music is tiresome, and lyrics try to be funny but come off juvenile.

1/5

Zolof The Rock and Roll Destroyer — Schematics

The best kind of power pop, which happens to be fronted by a woman. Catchy as hell.

3/5

Yellowcard — Paper Walls

Unquestionably slick pop-punk, it even rises to some emotional heights throughout the sugarcoated bits.

2/5

The Queers — Pleasant Screams

A terrific Ramones-influenced mix of songs about people to hate and people to love.

3/5